Dokter onderzoek de urine van Arlequin 1720 - 1728

This engraving presents us with a curious scene: a doctor examining the urine of Harlequin. The figure of Harlequin, drawn from the world of commedia dell’arte, carries with him the weight of centuries. His checkered costume and mischievous nature are not merely theatrical devices; they are symbols of social commentary, a nod to the topsy-turvy world of carnival where the fool momentarily reigns. The act of examining urine, once a respected diagnostic practice, here takes on a farcical dimension. Consider how this act appears elsewhere in art. In medieval medical illustrations, uroscopy was a dignified procedure, but here, with Harlequin as the patient, it borders on the absurd. Perhaps this is a satire on the medical profession, or on our obsession with health. Either way, the image engages our subconscious, tapping into our collective memories of the stage, medicine, and the human comedy. It speaks to us on a visceral level. Symbols never truly disappear; they resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings, reflecting the ever-changing human condition.