1.1 Crispijn de Passe after Martin de Vos, Visiting the Sick, ca. 1580–88, engraving, 169mm × 210mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 16
1.2 Georg Pencz, Visiting the Sick, 1534, engraving, diameter 56mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 17
2.1 and 2.2 Thomas van der Noot, Title page of Dit es van der siechen der brooscer naturen, Brussel, ca. 1510, woodcuts, 83 × 59mm each. The Hague, National Library of the Netherlands. KB | National Library: 231 G 41 25–26
2.3 Hendrick Goltzius, Miracula Christi (Miracles of Christ), from the series Allegories on the Life of Christ, 1578, engraving, 269 × 187mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 28
2.4 Hendrick Goltzius, Physician as God, from the series Allegories on the Medical Profession, 1587, engraving, 188 × 231mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 40
2.5 Hendrick Goltzius, Physician as Angel, from the series Allegories on the Medical Profession, 1587, engraving, 188 × 228mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 41
2.6 Hendrick Goltzius, Physician as Man, from the series Allegories on the Medical Profession, 1587, engraving, 188 × 229mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 42
2.7 Hendrick Goltzius, Physician as Devil, from the series Allegories on the Medical Profession, 1587, engraving, 187 × 229mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 43
2.8 Philips Galle after Frans Floris after Marten van Cleve, Panacea, from the series Human Labors, 1574, engraving, 205 × 248mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 54
2.9 Anonymous, The Quack, ca. 1619–25, oil on panel, 67 × 90.7cm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 61
2.10 Jan Saenredam after Hendrick Goltzius, Artist Painting a Nude Woman: Allegory of Visual Perception, ca. 1616, engraving, 245 × 181mm. Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington 63
2.11 Harmen Jansz. Muller after Karel van Mander, Patientia Christiana, 1587, engraving, 217 × 364mm. © The Trustees of the British Museum 64
2.12 Anonymous, Plague of Alva’s Tyranny in the Low Countries, ca. 1573, etching, 240 × 315mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 65
2.13 Theodoor de Bry, Willem of Orange Kneels before Christ, ca. 1580, engraving, 127 × 128 mm, Dordrecht, Huis Van Gijn (Collection Atlas Van Gijn) 66
3.1 Harold Copping, A Medical Missionary Attending to a Sick African, 1916, oil on canvas, 127 × 101.5cm, London, Wellcome Collection. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) 69
3.2 Philips Galle, Visiting the Sick from the series Seven Corporal Works of Mercy, 1577, engraving, 256 × 192mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 74
3.3 Adriaen Collaert after Hendrick Goltzius, Christ with the Cross and the Seven Works of Mercy, ca. 1580–90, engraving, 440 × 343mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 78
3.4 Pieter Nagel after Gerard van Groeningen, Visiting the Sick, ca. 1571, engraving, 198 × 251mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 79
3.5 Anonymous after Martin de Vos, Visiting the Sick, 1585, engraving, 200 × 246mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 80
3.6 Anonymous after Martin de Vos, Visiting the Sick, detail, 1585, engraving, 200 × 246mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 82
3.7 Anonymous, Last Judgment with the Seven Deadly Sins and Seven Works of Mercy, ca. 1490–1500, oil on panel, 115 × 125cm. Courtesy Maagdenhuis Museum, Antwerp 85
3.8 Pieter Aertsen, Seven Works of Mercy, 1575, oil on panel, 112 × 144cm. Courtesy National Museum, Warsaw 85
3.9 Philips Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Charitas from the series Seven Virtues, 1559–60, engraving, 223 × 291mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 86
3.10 Master of Alkmaar, Seven Works of Mercy, 1504, oil on panel, 119.1 × 472cm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 86
3.11 Master of Alkmaar, Seven Works of Mercy, detail, 1504. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 87
3.12 Workshop of Frans Francken III, The Chirk Cabinet, ca. 1640–50, 910 × 1075 × 495cm, Chirk Castle, Wrexham. © National Trust/Susanne Gronnow 92
3.13 Workshop of Frans Francken III, Chirk Cabinet, ca. 1640–50, 910 × 1075 × 495cm, Chirk Castle, Wrexham. © National Trust Images 93
3.14 Werner van den Valckert, Almoners Distributing Bread, ca. 1626–27, oil on panel, 149.5 × 149cm. Courtesy Amsterdam Museum 95
3.15 Joost Cornelisz. Droochsloot, Seven Works of Mercy, 1618, oil on canvas, 191.2 × 299.1cm, Utrecht, Centraal Museum. © Centraal Museum Utrecht / Ernst Moritz 96
3.16 Jacob Jordaens I, Antwerp Hospital Nuns, ca. 1660–65, oil on canvas, 267 × 369cm, inv. no. 216, photo: Dominique Provost, Collection KMSKA – Flemish Community (CC0) 102
3.17 Jan van Bijlert, Inmates of the Saint Job’s Hospice, ca. 1630–35, oil on canvas, 76.3 × 115.3cm, Utrecht, Centraal Museum. © Centraal Museum Utrecht / Ernst Moritz 104
4.1 Lucas Gassel and Frans Francken II, Christ Healing the Blind Man, 1540, oil on panel, 48.5 × 70.2cm, Kunstsammlungen der Ruhr-Universität Bochum © Situation Kunst 111
4.2 Lucas Gassel, Christ Healing a Lame Man, 1538, oil on panel, 48.6 × 61.1cm, private collection. © Rik Klein Gotink Fotografie, Harderwijk, The Netherlands 112
4.3 Cornelis Bloemart II after Adriaen Pietersz. van de Venne, Mutual Aid (The Lame and the Blind), 1620–30, engraving, 271 × 202mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 114
4.4 Cornelis Massijs, Blind Leading the Blind, ca. 1544–56, engraving, 45 × 79mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 119
4.5 Pieter van der Heyden after Hieronymus Bosch (?), Blind Leading the Blind, ca. 1540–70, engraving, 209 × 253mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 120
4.6 Johannes Sadeler (I), Landscape with the Lame and the Blind, 1560–1600, engraving, 214 × 271mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 122
4.7 Pieter van der Heyden after Hans Bol, Blind Leading the Blind, 1561, engraving, 218 × 296mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 123
4.8 Hendrick Goltzius, Blind Leading the Blind, 1586, engraving, diameter 74mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 124
4.9 Virgilius Solis, Blind Leading the Blind and the Miraculous Draft of Fishes, 1524–1562, engraving and etching, 80 × 50mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 126
4.10 Karel van Mallery after Bernardino Passeri, Sermon on the Mount (The Parable of the Mote and the Beam), in Jeronimo Nadal, Evangelicae Historiae Imagines (Antwerp, 1593), engraving, 232 × 145mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 127
4.11 Pieter Bruegel the Elder, The Parable of the Blind, 1568, distemper on linen canvas, 86 × 154cm, Naples, Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte. Photograph: Scala/Ministero per i Beni e le Attività culturali / Art Resource, NY 128
4.12 Pieter Bast, The View of Veere, 1598, engraving, 138 × 195mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 131
4.13 Lucas van Leyden, Healing the Blind Man of Jericho, 1531, oil on canvas, 115.7 × 217.3cm, Saint Petersburg, Hermitage, inv. no.
4.14 Cornelis Cornelisz. van Haarlem, Healing the Blind Man of Jericho, ca. 1619, oil on panel, 114.5 × 148.5cm. Greenville, South Carolina, Museum & Gallery at Bob Jones University 141
4.15 Antoon Wierix after Bernardino Passeri, A Blind Man is Healed before Jericho, and Two Others beyond It, in Jerome Nadal, Adnotationes et meditationes in Evangelia (Antwerp, 1595), engraving, 232 × 146mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 143
4.16 Gillis Mostaert, Landscape with the Healing of the Blind Man, n.d., oil on panel, 32.5 × 50cm, private collection. © Sotheby’s 2019 145
4.17 Antoon Wierix after Bernardino Passeri, Healing of the Man Born Blind, in Jerome Nadal, Adnotationes et meditationes in Evangelia (Antwerp, 1595), engraving, 232 × 146mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 149
4.18 Frans Francken II, Supper at the House of the Burgomaster Rockox, 1630–35, oil on panel, 62 × 97cm, Munich, Alte Pinakothek. Blauel Gnamm – ARTOTHEK 157
4.19 Jan Brueghel the Elder and Peter Paul Rubens, The Sense of Sight, 1617, oil on panel, 64.7 × 109.5cm, Madrid, Museo del Prado. © Museo Nacional del Prado 159
4.20 Jan van Kessel and Victor Wolfvoet II, Allegory of Sight, n.d., oil on copper, 62 × 82.6cm, private collection. © Christie’s, 2018 160
5.1 Simon Frisus (Simon de Vries) after Hendrik Hondius, Christ Healing the Paralytic, ca. 1650, etching, 181 × 229mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 163
5.2 Joost Cornelisz. Droochsloot, The Pool of Bethesda, 1644, oil on canvas, 97 × 137cm, Leipzig, Museum der Bildenden Künste. Artwork in the public domain 167
5.3 Joost Cornelisz. Droochsloot, The Pool of Bethesda, 1645, oil on canvas, 70 × 97cm, private collection. Artwork in the public domain 167
5.4 Philips Galle, Baptism from the series Seven Sacraments, 1576, engraving, 256 × 190mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 173
5.5 Anonymous after a follower of Hieronymus Bosch, Cripples and Beggars, ca. 1570, engraving, 303 × 219mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 178
5.6 Follower of Hieronymus Bosch, Beggars and Cripples, ca. 1530–40, drawing, 285 × 208mm, The Albertina Museum, Vienna 179
5.7 Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Cripples, 1568, oil on panel, 18.5 × 21.5cm, Paris, Louvre Museum. Photograph: Scala / Art Resource, NY 182
5.8 Pieter Aertsen, The Healing of the Paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda, 1575, oil on panel, 56 × 75cm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 188
5.9 Pieter Aertsen, Peter and John Healing the Sick, 1575, oil on panel, 55.5 × 76cm, Saint Petersburg, The State Hermitage Museum. Photograph © The State Hermitage Museum, photo by Pavel Demidov. Inv. no.
5.10 Joachim Beuckelaer, The Healing of the Paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda, ca. 1562, oil on panel, 82.5 × 146.1cm. Colleción EPIARTE, SL © Sotheby’s 2019 193
5.11 Pieter van Lint, The Healing of the Paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda, 1640, oil on panel, 50 × 81cm, Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum. KHM-Museumsverband 195
5.12 Artus Wolffort, Christ at the Pool of Bethesda, ca. 1620–30, oil on canvas, 170 × 226.8cm, Toronto, Art Gallery of Ontario, Anonymous Gift 1983. © Art Gallery of Ontario 196
5.13 Jacob Willemsz. de Wet, Christ Healing the Paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem, 1630/97, oil on canvas, 95 × 126cm, Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem
5.14 Dirck van Delen, The Pool at Bethesda, oil on panel, 52.7 × 43.4cm. © 2014 Christie’s Images Limited 201
5.15 Antoon Wierix after Bernardino Passeri, The Healing of the Paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda, in Jerome Nadal, Adnotationes et meditationes in Evangelia (Antwerp, 1595), engraving, 232 × 146mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 203
5.16 Philips Galle after Maarten van Heemskerck, Peter and John Healing the Sick, from the series Acts of the Apostles, 1575, engraving, 213 × 270mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 208
6.1 Antoon Wierix after Bernardino Passeri, Healing of the Deaf-Mute Man, in Jerome Nadal, Evangelicae Historiae Imagines (Antwerp, 1593), engraving, 231 × 144mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 212
6.2 Bartholomeus Breenbergh, Healing of the Deaf-Mute Man, n.d., oil on panel, 90 × 122cm, Paris, Musée du Louvre, Photograph: Scala / Art Resource, NY 216
6.3 Philips Galle after Anthonie Blocklandt, Christ Healing the Woman with the Issue of Blood, ca. 1577–79, engraving, 210 × 260mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 219
6.4 Hans Collaert after Gerard van Groeningen, Christ Healing the Woman with the Issue of Blood, ca. 1579–85, engraving, 208 × 254mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 220
6.5 Adam Camerarius, Christ and the Centurion, ca. 1644–65, oil on canvas, 172.5cm × 226.5cm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 223
6.6 Adriaen Collaert after Jan van der Straat, Longinus Piercing Christ’s Side with a Spear, 1585–86, engraving, 194 × 264mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 225
6.7 Pieter Lastman, Christ and the Woman of Canaan, 1617, oil on panel, 76.8cm × 106.6cm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 226
6.8 Rembrandt van Rijn, The Hundred Guilder Print, ca. 1648, etching, drypoint and engraving, 280mm × 394mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 228
6.9 Boëtius Adamsz. Bolswert, Christ Healing Ten Lepers, 1622, engraving, 133 × 75mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 232
6.10 Pieter van der Borcht, Christ Healing the Leper, 1613, etching, 187 × 246mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 234
6.11 Adriaen van Nieulandt the Younger, Procession of the Lepers on the Dam Square in 1604, 1633, oil on canvas, 212cm × 308cm, Amsterdam, The Amsterdam Museum 238
6.12 Claes Jansz. Visscher II, Leprosy House in Haarlem, 1612, etching, 102 × 157mm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 238
6.13 Werner van den Valckert, Three Regentesses and the ‘House Mother’ of the Amsterdam Lepers’ Asylum, 1624, oil on panel, 132cm × 189.5cm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 239
6.14 Werner van den Valckert, Four Regents and the ‘House Father’ of the Amsterdam Lepers’ Asylum, 1624, oil on panel, 134 × 209cm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 239