Artwork
Vertebrae between medical equipment
Vertebrae between medical equipment is a drawing by H.G, Wetselaar. It dates from 1970 and is held in the collection of the Leiden University Libraries.
About this work
Overview
Vertebrae between medical equipment is a 1970 drawing by H.G. Wetselaar, currently in the collection of the Museum of Ethnography.
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts a central cluster of dark, indistinct animal vertebrae juxtaposed with three contrasting, sharply rendered metal instruments, suggesting a thematic intersection of natural biological forms and man-made scientific tools.
Technique & Style
Executed entirely in gray on a white background, the drawing distinguishes between the fuzzy, organic bones and the smooth, reflective instruments, achieving depth and contrast through varying line qualities.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1970 by H.G. Wetselaar, the piece is now part of the Museum of Ethnography's holdings, though its creation context and the artist's intentions behind the work are not elaborated in available information.
Context
While specific contextual details about the artwork's creation are scarce, its themes of juxtaposing natural specimens with scientific instruments reflect broader artistic explorations of the relationship between nature and human inquiry during the late 20th century.
Legacy
There is no readily available information on the artwork's influence or reception, suggesting it may not be widely recognized beyond its presence in the Museum of Ethnography.
Artist & collection
Artist
H.G. Wetselaar spent his days hunched over microscopes in a quiet Leiden lab, sketching what most people ignore. His pencil caught the raw architecture of bodies we pretend are smooth—like the knotted muscles of a…
