Röntgenfoto van de met TBC geïnfecteerde ruggenwervel van Isabel Wachenheimer, gedateerd op een september 1949

This is an X-ray, dated September 1949, showing Isabel Wachenheimer’s spine infected with tuberculosis. While created anonymously for medical purposes, it now resides in an art collection, inviting us to consider the evolving role of images in society. Made in a post-war world still grappling with the effects of industrialization and urbanization, such images provide a stark reminder of the social conditions that fostered diseases like TB. The X-ray technology itself, a product of scientific advancement, here serves as both a diagnostic tool and a historical document. This image prompts us to reflect on the politics of health, the disparities in access to care, and the ways in which medical institutions have shaped our understanding of the human body. To truly understand this image, we need to delve into the medical and social histories of the time, exploring archives, medical journals, and personal accounts. The meaning of art is not fixed but evolves with our understanding of its historical and institutional context.