The Tooth-Puller 1565 - 1590

This etching, "The Tooth-Puller" was made by Peeter van der Borcht around 1600. Look closely and you'll see it's a bustling scene rendered in precise detail. The fine lines were achieved through the process of etching, where the artist would have used acid to bite into a metal plate, allowing for multiple impressions to be made. The printmaking process itself is critical here. It allowed for wide distribution of this image, which depicts a traveling dentist extracting a tooth for a patient while riding on horseback. The image is as much about the spectacle of commerce as it is about healthcare. The tooth-puller plies his trade in public, a clear demonstration of a service provided for a fee. Note the banner behind him, advertising his trade, a vital form of marketing. This etching, therefore, speaks to the rise of a market economy, where even necessities like dental care become commodities. It reminds us that art isn't just about aesthetics; it's also a reflection of the social conditions in which it’s made and circulated.