Doctor's Visit 1665

Jan Steen, with his characteristic wit, painted this scene of a supposed doctor's visit. But look closer, and you will notice that the fish being held up mockingly by the character in the background is not for supper, but serves as a potent symbol. Throughout the ages, the fish has had many guises, from religious emblem to symbol of fertility. Here, it is not about spiritual nourishment, but physical desire, a coarse jest at the young woman’s expense. The fish in this context is not merely a sea creature; it's a crude reminder of the primal drives that course through us. Such symbols do not exist in isolation. Consider the Renaissance, where similar veiled allusions were frequent. It's as if these motifs, like migratory birds, resurface in different plumage across historical epochs. The humor in this scene is unsettling. This painting captures our anxieties about reputation, desire, and the social theater. It reminds us that the stage of life is set with symbols that speak to our subconscious fears and longings. The cyclical, non-linear progression of such symbols is what binds us to the past, ensuring that the old myths never truly die.