Genezing van de blindgeborene before 1732

Editor: This is Gabriel Huquier's engraving, "Genezing van de blindgeborene," made before 1732, currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. I’m struck by the figures' delicate, almost fragile quality within this intensely important scene. What layers do you see in this work? Curator: I see an articulation of power, both divine and social, carefully etched onto the printing plate. The very act of healing the blind man is an intervention, a disruption of the established social order, and it must be viewed through the lens of religious authority during the Baroque period. Editor: How so? Curator: Consider who is marginalized and who is centered. The blind man, visually impaired, is also likely economically disadvantaged, existing on the periphery. Christ’s act literally brings him into the light but also symbolically challenges the existing hierarchies that keep him there. Do you see the gazes of the onlookers? Editor: Yes, some are curious, some skeptical, almost accusatory. Curator: Precisely. This print captures a moment of contestation – where faith, doubt, and social inequality collide. The question isn’t just about restoring sight, but about transforming a society blind to injustice. It's a call to radical empathy. Editor: It’s amazing how a seemingly simple etching can contain such complex commentary. Curator: Indeed. Art serves as a mirror reflecting societal structures, and occasionally, as a window to what a more equitable future might resemble. Thank you for your insights as well! Editor: It offers much to consider, thank you.