Images and emotions in circulation: The visit to the San Juan de Dios Hospital, 1748, Santiago de Chile

Abstract

The Juan de Dios Hospital, located in Santiago de Chile, like other similar medical facilities in Hispanic America, constituted, especially during the 18th century, a space of social control for sick and stinky people who were cared by hospital religious. For this purpose, the priests used several strategies, including images decorating the hospital, through which they intended to shape the behavior of sick people and save their souls. Indeed, through the meaning transmitted by the figure, painting or sculpture, placed intentionally in precise places, they sought to reintegrate sinners into the Catholic doctrine.