Maken van een incisie tijdens een oogoperatie before 1873

This photograph by A. de Montméja captures a chilling scene: an incision being made during an eye operation. Here, the eye—a potent symbol of vision, knowledge, and perception—is laid bare, vulnerable to the surgeon's tools. The act of opening the eye recalls ancient rituals, where the unveiling of hidden truths or the removal of obstructions was a symbolic act of purification and enlightenment, but also violence. Think of Oedipus blinding himself after discovering the truth, or Saint Lucy, whose eyes were removed by her persecutors. The surgeon's steady hand, wielding the tools of science, contrasts with the raw, exposed vulnerability of the patient. This tension echoes the Apollonian and Dionysian dichotomy—reason versus instinct. The eye, once a window to the soul, becomes an object of clinical scrutiny, a site of both healing and potential violation. This image leaves one with a deep sense of unease, contemplating the complex relationship between knowledge, power, and the fragile human body.