Portret van Marcello Malpighi 1694

Johannes Kip created this print of Marcello Malpighi, the famed Italian physician and biologist, sometime between 1653 and 1722. The portrait captures Malpighi in profile, framed by an oval border adorned with ribbons. His gaze is fixed and his expression conveys a sense of profound concentration. It is an image rooted in its time, reflective of an era in which scientific and intellectual pursuits were the domain of men. As such, the portrait may invite us to consider the ways in which knowledge has been historically gendered. Malpighi made significant contributions to the fields of anatomy and physiology. His discoveries, enabled through the use of the microscope, revolutionized our understanding of the human body. As we look at Kip’s portrait, we might reflect on the power of seeing and how access to tools and knowledge shapes our ability to understand the world. It is a document which encapsulates a moment in the history of science, reminding us of the complexities inherent in the pursuit of knowledge.