De keisnijder van 1720 1720

This anonymous print, "The Stone Cutter" from 1720, presents a scene rife with symbolic gestures, alluding to folly and delusion. Dominating the composition is the act of "stone cutting," a medieval metaphor for extracting the "stone of madness" from one's head, believed to cure insanity. Note the figure with the funnel hat, a symbol of foolishness, reminiscent of carnival figures throughout Europe, embodying the inversion of reason. Observe how this motif echoes in the Commedia dell'arte, where characters like Harlequin flaunt their ignorance, revealing deeper truths about societal absurdities. The act of purging folly, however, is itself depicted as folly here. The figures exhibit delusion, reinforcing the idea that attempts to cure madness can be as mad as the condition itself. This echoes across time, in alchemical illustrations, where the removal of impurities mirrors the search for inner perfection. The belief in such remedies, though misguided, reflects a timeless human desire to rid ourselves of psychological burdens. The cyclical nature of these symbols and rituals demonstrates how our anxieties and aspirations resurface through art. The folly of man is a constant, and it will return, transformed, yet fundamentally the same.