"Fear Thy Plague" - October 2021
With this relief printmaking assignment, I wanted to create a composition of a Plague Doctor from the 16th and 17th centuries. Using the linocut techniques of the U-gauge and V-gauge on a wood block, I was able to develop a composition representing a Plague Doctor. For this project I printed a total of eight additions, some of which did not come out as well due to the inconsistency of ink application.
Often seen as evil and a symbol of death due to their costume and general apparel, Plague Doctors were hired physicians who treated victims of the Bubonic Plague regardless of their incomes. The costume of the Plague Doctors, although seen as frightening, were simply used as personal protective equipment against the ravaging effects of the plague.
The story and descriptions of Plague Doctors creates a meaning of outside appearances contrasting the true ideals and morals that individuals face on a daily basis. Despite good intentions, individuals are often judged or overlooked based on their appearances, leading to many misinterpretations of them as a whole.
