A Doctor Examining a Urine Specimen in his Study c. 1640 - 1650

David Teniers the Younger painted "A Doctor Examining a Urine Specimen in his Study" using oil on canvas. Note the doctor carefully examining the urine, a common practice of the time. This act, laden with the weight of diagnosis and life-altering prognosis, reminds me of ancient practices of divination, a search for answers in the hidden signs of the body. Now, consider the chained monkey in the foreground. Often, the monkey symbolizes base instincts, folly, or imitation, a motif we see repeated through various eras and geographies. The presence of this animal invites us to see a connection between the learned doctor and the more primal world. It’s a reminder that despite our intellect and advancements, we are still tethered to our basic natures, a constant tension that plays out in our collective psyche. Observe how these symbols create a cyclical progression, reappearing and evolving through different epochs, always reflecting our struggles to understand ourselves.