12x48 inches
acrylic, watercolor paper, kraft paper on stained maple panel
$1600 | ready to hang

The Jobs of Yesteryear series combines history and surrealism to tell the stories of obsolete jobs. A contemporary glimpse into the past, these mixed media paintings serve as a reminder of a time and stories long forgotten.

This particular Job of Yesteryear mixed media painting features a plague doctor. Plague doctors sprang up during epidemics in medieval Europe to treat the sick. They were not normally medically trained professionals and often were second-rate doctors unable to otherwise run a successful medical business. Plague doctors wore a variety of garments, but many chose a protective gown made of heavy waxed fabric and a beak-like mask with glass eye openings. The beak would hold aromatic herbs and straw, which was believed to protect the doctor from “bad air”. They would also brandish a long, wooden cane to examine the patients without touching them. It was also a means of repenting sins, as many believed that the plague was punishment and would ask to be whipped to repent their sins. The Black Death plague killed one-third of Europe during its 14th-century reign and ended due to improved hygiene, the burning of the dead rather than burial, and the implementation of quarantine.

The Plague Doctor XI was created with acrylic paint, and the long-limbed character was cut from paper and collaged with kraft paper. The Jobs of Yesteryear are thought-provoking conversation pieces that will bring an air of history and whimsy to any room.