Apparaat voor oogmetingen en drie ogen met daarin vormen weerspiegeld before 1896

This photographic print of an ophthalmological device and three eyes reflecting various shapes was created by Allvar Gullstrand in the early 20th century. As an image produced within a specific scientific discipline, it embodies the values, assumptions, and practices of the medical establishment. Gullstrand was a Swedish ophthalmologist who won the Nobel Prize in 1911 for his work on the dioptrics of the eye. His goal was to understand the eye as an optical instrument, and his research was supported by institutions, such as universities and hospitals. This image reflects the positivist mindset of the time and the desire to uncover objective truths about the human body. The photograph's clinical and detached aesthetic reinforces the authority of scientific knowledge. To further interpret Gullstrand's work, one might consult his published papers, historical records of medical research, and studies of the cultural history of science. Examining art through a socio-historical lens allows us to understand its production, reception, and the ways it reflects and shapes our understanding of the world.