Gezondheid (Sanitas) 1607

Theodoor Galle created this engraving, titled "Gezondheid (Sanitas)," sometime in the late 16th or early 17th century. Galle was part of a prolific family of artists and printmakers in Antwerp, a city then at the heart of the printmaking industry. This small, oval print depicts a female personification of health, "Sanitas" in Latin. She holds a dish and is accompanied by a snake and rooster, all symbols linked to healing and well-being. Her gaze is cast downward, perhaps in contemplation or humility, while her bare chest suggests a vulnerability, a body susceptible to illness and in need of care. What does it mean to represent health as a woman during this time? Consider the gendered roles assigned to women in early modern Europe, where they were often associated with the body, nature, and domestic care. How does Galle's image reinforce or challenge these associations? It invites us to reflect on the historical construction of health, gender, and the body.