Aanschouwt het wonderlijke neuzen geslacht, / Hetwelk hier in prentverbeelding wordt voorgebragt 1806 - 1830

This print, made by Johan Noman, presents a series of caricatured faces, each distinguished by an exaggerated nose. The nose, often a symbol of virility and individuality, is here amplified to the point of the grotesque. Consider the ancient Roman busts, where the aquiline nose signified nobility, or even the Renaissance portraits, where a prominent nose could denote character and intellect. Here, however, the noses take on a life of their own, almost mocking the individuals to whom they are attached. These exaggerated features evoke a sense of unease, perhaps tapping into a collective memory of physiognomy, where physical traits were believed to reveal inner character. This reflects our own subconscious biases about appearance and worth, playing with our deeply ingrained notions of beauty, morality, and the self. The image invites us to confront these uncomfortable truths. The cyclical dance between admiration and ridicule continues through history, and resurfaces here.