Tandarts 1670 - 1724

Curator: This is Jacob Gole's "Tandarts," created sometime between 1670 and 1724. The print employs engraving to depict a scene that's both intimate and unsettling. Editor: My first thought is—that poor fellow! The dark tonality and tight composition amplify his apparent distress. It feels so invasive. Curator: Indeed. Gole, known for his meticulous engraving skills, renders every wrinkle and grimace with striking detail. Note how the engraver's burin allowed for such fine lines, creating a scene of surprising clarity given the modest means of production. How do the other figures in the work impact its overall statement? Editor: Absolutely. Their faces and clothes speak volumes about social and economic disparities. It’s a complex snapshot reflecting both the intimacy and anxieties around health practices and the social status of those seeking and offering it during the Dutch Golden Age. There is no agency with the patient here. Curator: Precisely. The material culture depicted – the dental tools, the humble interior, even the patient’s clothing – it all provides a commentary on the economic realities of medical care at the time. Access and affordability must have presented unique challenges. Editor: Exactly. And this reminds me of contemporary struggles with healthcare access. Who gets treatment? Under what conditions? It’s not just about teeth; it is also about broader power dynamics at play. The composition really sets the stage for this dialogue between extraction, access, and privilege, especially considering class divisions, where medical treatment isn't guaranteed to all. Curator: Looking at Gole’s technique here, I find it amazing how he managed to bring such depth to an otherwise fairly quotidian subject matter using only line and tonal variations inherent to the process. He turns base metals into value. Editor: It’s true. While I appreciate the technique, the print also challenges me to confront my own biases, as it really hits on issues of marginalization and social justice, something very important to continue talking about. Curator: A fantastic work overall; it really invites you to consider process and implications simultaneously. Editor: Exactly! I'll never look at a dentist's office the same way again.