Who painted Epileptics Walking to the Right?

Epileptics Walking to the Right was painted by Hendrik Hondius I in 1642.

Where can I see Epileptics Walking to the Right?

Epileptics Walking to the Right is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Epileptics Walking to the Right?

Epileptics Walking to the Right is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Epileptics Walking to the Right

Hendrik Hondius I , 1642

Epileptics Walking to the Right is an ink print by the Baroque artist Hendrik Hondius I. It dates from 1642 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Hendrik Hondius I’s 1642 engraving titled Epileptics Walking to the Right presents a procession of five figures moving in single file across a rural setting.

Hendrik Hondius I’s 1642 engraving titled Epileptics Walking to the Right presents a procession of five figures moving in single file across a rural setting. The men are attired in period costume, their expressions strained and postures uneasy, suggesting a collective affliction. Behind them a wooded landscape unfolds, punctuated by foliage and a distant settlement, framing the scene with a sense of depth.

Subject & Meaning

The work depicts individuals identified by the period’s terminology as “epileptics,” a reference to sufferers of seizure disorders. Their gestures—hands grasping heads, bodies leaning forward—convey the physical turmoil associated with such episodes. By arranging the figures in a line, Hondura may be commenting on the social visibility of illness and the shared experience of vulnerability within a community.

Technique & Style

Executed as an engraving, the image relies on incised lines to render texture and volume. Hondius employs cross‑hatching to model the fabric of the clothing and the bark of trees, creating tonal variation without the use of color. The crispness of the line work yields a precise, almost clinical representation, characteristic of early‑modern Dutch printmaking.

History & Provenance

Created in the mid‑seventeenth century, the print reflects contemporary medical and moral attitudes toward neurological disorders. It was likely circulated among collectors of anatomical and genre subjects, though specific ownership records are scarce. The engraving survives in several museum and library collections, attesting to its continued relevance for scholars of early modern visual culture.