Twee aanblikken van een dikke darm met zweren als gevolg van syfilis before 1894

This is a lithograph from around the turn of the century by Albert Ludwig Sigesmund Neisser, depicting two views of a colon afflicted by syphilitic ulcers. The visual experience is immediately unsettling, with its dark, mottled textures and the stark contrast between the diseased tissue and the sterile white background. It may evoke feelings of unease, highlighting the body's vulnerability. Neisser, a dermatologist and venereologist, presents the colon with a detached clinical precision. We can see that the composition of the image is not meant to be beautiful, it serves the purpose of scientific documentation, emphasizing texture and form. The black and white medium further strips away any potential aestheticization, focusing instead on the harsh reality of the disease. The image is part of a larger cultural and philosophical discourse around disease, the body, and representation. Ultimately, the lithograph's power lies not in its aesthetic appeal but in its ability to disturb and provoke. It destabilizes established meanings of beauty and health, challenging the viewer to confront uncomfortable truths about the human condition.