Article

Rembrandt's etching of a beggar with a wooden leg is notable because the two
lower limbs of the presumed beggar are present and not deformed. Using the
facilities of four specialised Dutch art institutes, we carried out a systematic
investigation to find other etchings and engravings of subjects with artificial
legs supporting non-amputated limbs, from the period 1500 to 1700 AD. We
discovered 28 prints produced by at least 18 artists. Several offered clues to a
disorder of a knee, the lower leg or the foot. All individuals were adult males,
suggesting the probability of traumatic lesions. We conclude that in this period
artificial legs were not only used in the case of absence of part of a lower
limb, but also for other reasons, notably disorders of the knee, lower leg or
foot. They may also have been used to attract compassion.
iconographie; Rembrandt; peintre; gravure histoire amputation; jambe de bois ; mendiant

Langue : ANGLAIS

Tiré à part : OUI