DISCOVERART

Cornelis Dusart

The Cupper (Kopster)

1695
Etching on paper
22.3 × 17 cm (8.8 × 6.7 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

A wince-inducing, humorously sexualized take on now outdated medical practices, Cornelis Dusart’s etching shows a woman undergoing minor surgery. Possibly to alleviate a female complaint, heated glass cups are applied to her feet. These raise blood-filled boils, which the attendant then lances and purges of bad blood. The appended verses and the bill of fare hanging on the mantelpiece both mention clystering as a subsequent treatment option: the upward diagonal angle of the clyster (an enema or douche) in the male attendant’s belt lends credence to the implication that the treatment doubled as an ersatz form of sexual congress.

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