A Medical Student Starting Out (plate 12) 1843

Curator: Here we have Charles Jacque's 1843 lithograph entitled "A Medical Student Starting Out," presently held at The Art Institute of Chicago. It’s rendered in tones of black on paper. Editor: The scene feels cramped, almost claustrophobic. The figures are positioned tightly within a sparsely furnished room, and the linear quality of the lithography reinforces this sense of confinement. Curator: Indeed. Notice the use of hatching and cross-hatching throughout the image. Jacque's masterful employment of these techniques establishes volume, particularly in the figures' clothing, giving form and substance to their presence. Editor: My eye is drawn to the young doctor. His black attire, the stark contrast with the light wall, really makes him pop. I also notice the older patient is wearing a really interesting oversized hat, and the artist takes care in rendering those details of social class and dress. The pose almost communicates more than words could about social hierarchy. Curator: Yes, his demeanor suggests a certain awkwardness and uncertainty in his professional role, perhaps the beginning of his career as alluded to by the title. He is asking something from the man sitting on the chair who is looking upwards as though contemplating his ailments. In terms of style, there is some similarity to Daumier. Editor: There's definitely a commentary on the medical profession woven throughout. Look at the older, hunched figure in the background too, in some pain! But the artist manages to imbue even such grim situations with a touch of dark humour, making it engaging and a snapshot into the relationship between illness, class and healthcare at that time. Curator: The balance in the composition and distribution of light, serves to ground the image, enabling its immediate recognition while speaking volumes of what lies unsaid, while drawing us closer. It encourages introspection regarding this medical encounter and its implications for healthcare access in that era. Editor: Absolutely. It offers an arresting study in gesture and pose, capturing a very distinct type of vulnerability in human relationships. It reminds us that healthcare, in all of its forms, is full of complexities.