The artwork titled “Tooth Puller” was crafted by the distinguished artist Caravaggio in the year 1609. Utilizing the medium of oil on canvas, this piece belongs to the Baroque and Tenebrism art movements and is defined as a genre painting. The dimensions of the painting are 139.5 x 194.5 cm. This notable work is housed at the Palazzo Pitti in Florence, Italy.
The artwork vividly captures a tense scene involving a group of individuals gathered around a table, observing a tooth extraction. At the center, the figure performing the extraction, presumably a dentist, is depicted in the act of pulling a tooth from the mouth of a patient who displays a pained expression. The surrounding figures, comprising various onlookers and perhaps assistants, exhibit a range of reactions from curiosity to concern. The dramatic use of chiaroscuro, a hallmark of Caravaggio’s style, is evident in the stark contrasts of light and shadow, which lend a vivid realism and heightened emotional intensity to the scene. The meticulous detailing and the dynamic composition draw the viewer’s gaze to the central action, effectively conveying the physical and psychological discomfort inherent in the depicted moment.
