The Tooth-Puller
1651
oil
From the collection of Mauritshuis
1651
oil
From the collection of Mauritshuis
The painting depicts a lively scene of a tooth-puller at work, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers. The tooth-puller, dressed in a brown coat and black hat, leans over a seated man, grasping a tooth with a pair of forceps. The man's mouth is open in a mixture of pain and surprise. In the background, a group of people watches the scene unfold, their faces filled with a mix of curiosity and concern. A young boy stands in the foreground, looking up at the tooth-puller with wide eyes. The atmosphere is one of tension and anticipation, as the crowd waits to see the outcome of the tooth-pulling procedure. The painting's use of chiaroscuro, with strong contrasts between light and dark, adds to the sense of drama and tension in the scene. Next, you might want to look up Jan Steen.
