Menselijk bot met een afwijking 1836 - 1912

Isaac Weissenbruch made this drawing, titled 'Human bone with an abnormality,' using pen and paper, but the exact date remains unknown. Weissenbruch lived through a time of significant medical advancements and shifting understandings of the human body. What does it mean to depict illness? This image raises questions about how society views disease and disability, reflecting both scientific curiosity and a more profound engagement with the human condition. Consider that Weissenbruch was a member of the Pulchri Studio, a progressive group of artists. 'Human bone with an abnormality' is part of the Rijksmuseum collection which is displayed in a time when museums are grappling with issues of representation, identity, and the ethics of collecting. The act of preserving and displaying a bone prompts us to consider the complex relationship between art, science, and our shared humanity. It challenges viewers to confront their own vulnerabilities.