A surgeon in his workroom extracting stones from a patients head; symbolising the expulsion of 'folly' (insanity). Photogravure after J. Steen.

  • Steen, Jan, 1626-1679.
Reference:
21106i
  • Pictures
  • Online

Available online

view A surgeon in his workroom extracting stones from a patients head; symbolising the expulsion of 'folly' (insanity). Photogravure after J. Steen.

Public Domain Mark

You can use this work for any purpose without restriction under copyright law. Read more about this licence.

Credit

A surgeon in his workroom extracting stones from a patients head; symbolising the expulsion of 'folly' (insanity). Photogravure after J. Steen. Wellcome Collection. Public Domain Mark. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Selected images from this work

View 1 image

About this work

Description

The images of a surgeon (often itinerant) making an incision in a patient's head in order to extract 'stones' (implying madness in the individual) do not represent an actual operation, but are allegorical scenes refering to the subduction of 'folly' (madness) from the body. See further: W. Schupbach, A new look at The cure of folly, Medical history, 1978, vol. 22, pp. 267-281

Physical description

1 print : photogravure ; image 13.5 x 11.2 cm

Lettering

De chirurgijn. ... Jan Havickz. Steen. ... Lettering continues: "Alweer een Jan Steen, en al weer iets bijzonders. Hoe sprekend is de tegenstelling tusschen de rutisge, elegante houding van den chirurgijn en hevige reactie van den patient!" The lettering is repeated in english The original is in the : Hageraats collection in the Hague

Reference

Wellcome Collection 21106i

Languages

Where to find it

  • LocationStatusAccess
    Closed stores

Permanent link