Inbrengen van een katheter langs het oog before 1873

This photograph by A. de Montméja captures a medical procedure, the insertion of a catheter into the eye. The most striking element is the pair of hands performing this delicate operation. Consider the symbol of hands throughout art history—often depicted in acts of creation, healing, or violence. Here, they represent a duality, embodying both the power to heal and the potential to inflict pain, reflecting humanity's complex relationship with medicine and the body. Think of the "Hand of God," a motif seen in early Christian art, a symbol of divine intervention. The photograph elicits a visceral response, engaging viewers on a subconscious level as they confront the vulnerability of the human body. These symbols resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts.