Medicine against Syphilis, Philips Galle (attributed to workshop of), after Jan van der Straet, c. 1589 - c. 1593
engraving, w 271mm × h 204mm More details
The bed-ridden patient is given a new medicine against syphilis made from the Haitian plant Guaiacum. The brothel scene on the wall refers to a debauched lifestyle as the possible cause of the disease. At the right, the bark of the plant is being chopped into pieces and the medicine prepared. The print belongs to a series of 19 inventions from the Renaissance.
