Allegory of Surgery by B.L. Provost

Allegory of Surgery  by B.L. Provost

C. 1751

Engraving with Etching

This finely detailed copperplate engraving presents an allegorical celebration of medicine and healing centered on a statue of Hippocrates (or Asclepius) holding the Rod of Asclepius, the enduring symbol of the medical profession. Set within a pastoral landscape, the composition is populated by symbolic figures representing various branches of medicine: a female personification of surgery prunes dead branches from a diseased tree, while children gather and prepare medicinal herbs, straighten a young tree as a symbol of orthopedics, and extract sap, alluding to traditional therapeutic practices. A rooster and raven rest upon the statue’s pedestal, while a stork flies overhead. The foreground is scattered with medicinal plants including aloe, plantain, and rhubarb, and the background features trees, cliffs, playful children, and distant sailing vessels. Rich in symbolism, the image celebrates the healing arts through a harmonious fusion of classical mythology, natural science, and medical practice.

This antique print originates from Encyclopédie, ou Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers, the monumental reference work edited by Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d'Alembert. Published in Paris between 1751 and 1772, the original folio edition comprised 17 volumes of text and 11 volumes of engraved plates, containing more than 72,000 articles contributed by over 140 writers, scientists, philosophers, and artisans. Conceived as a comprehensive survey of human knowledge, the Encyclopédie documented the sciences, crafts, technologies, and fine arts while also serving as a powerful vehicle for the intellectual ideals of the French Enlightenment. Its emphasis on reason, empirical inquiry, and the dissemination of knowledge challenged traditional authorities and helped shape modern thought, making it one of the most influential publications of the eighteenth century.

Dimensions: H 15” x 10 ¼” W

Condition: insect damage on bottom right, some foxing consistent with age