A surgeon in his workroom extracting stones from a man's head; symbolising the expulsion of 'folly' (insanity). Gouache painting by J. Einsle, 1806, after G. Dou.

Dou, Gerard, 1613-1675.

Reference:: 21129i

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Also known as

Previous title, replaced February 2024 : A surgeon in his workroom extracing stones from a man's head; symbolising the expulsion of 'folly' (insanity). Gouache painting by Ginsle (?), 1806, after G. Dou.

Description

Pictures of a surgeon 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 painting : gouache on ivory (?)

Contributors

Lettering

Einsle pinx 1806.

Creator/production credits

According to the RKD Nederlands Instituut voor Kunstgeschiedenis ( https://rkd.nl/artists/328727 ) Joseph Bernhard Einsle was a miniature painter who was born in Göggingen (a suburb of Augsburg in Bavaria) and baptised on 25 July 1774. He later worked in Augsburg and elsewhere, and died in Augsburg on 30 April 1829. Eight portraits signed by him are in Nationalmuseum in Stockholm. Some sources give his middle name as Bernhard

References note

C. Hofstede de Groot, A catalogue raisonné of the works of the most eminent Dutch painters of the seventeenth century, vol. 1, London 1908, Gerard Dou no. 149, p. 395 (on panel 11½ x 9½ ins., "in the collection of W. Ritter, Val de Ruz, near Neufchâtel")

Reference

Wellcome Collection 21129i

Reproduction note

After: a painting by Gerrit Dou, formerly in the possession of Wilhelm Ritter (1847-1906), Val de Ruz, near Neuchâtel (Hofstede de Groot, loc. cit.)