The Ophthalmologist’s Time Machine: Chapter 37
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By
February 13, 2026
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3 min
William Hogarth's painting 'Southwark Fair' (1733) portrays two notable oculists from the 1700s: Richard Rock and Andreas Larini. Rock, originally a physician known for treating cataracts, later shifted his focus to dentistry and venereal disease. Larini, also known as Signor Violante, was an Italian acrobat and oculist who performed daring feats to entertain audiences. Both figures exemplified the duality of medical practice and entertainment in a time when itinerant medical practitioners often occupied a precarious social space. This painting reflects the authorities' concerns over the fair's reputation, leading to its eventual abolishment in 1762.
1. Hogarth's 'Southwark Fair' depicts two oculists from the 1700s.2. Richard Rock was known for cataract treatment and later dentistry.3. Andreas Larini, known as Signor Violante, was an acrobat and oculist.4. The fair was abolished in 1762 due to concerns of vice.5. Both men operated on the margins of respectable society.
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