Patient Chasing Nurse 1979

Jack Davis created this amusing caricature, "Patient Chasing Nurse," in 1979 using pen, ink, and watercolor. It's a comical scene, typical of Davis's style, showing a hospital patient chasing a nurse. The humor is heightened through exaggeration. The patient's wild expression and frantic gesture, combined with the nurse's exaggerated fear, create a farcical dynamic. Made in the United States, the drawing plays with familiar social roles and power dynamics, perhaps subtly commenting on the shifting perceptions of authority and the questioning of institutional hierarchies that characterized the late 20th century. To truly appreciate Davis's work, we can delve into popular culture and the history of caricature. Analyzing such images provides a window into cultural anxieties, humor, and the social commentary embedded in visual art.