de oculis

About the Exhibition

230 years after the founding of the Josephinum, whose holdings have been continuously expanded, especially in the 20th century, and which today is one of the world’s most important medical history museums, a major new collection is being added. Hermann Aichmair, former professor of ophthalmology at the 2nd University Clinic, is presenting his ophthalmological collections, consisting of over 600 objects, to the Josephinum.
“De oculis” shows a cross-section of the Aichmair collection that comprises, firstly, ophthalmological instruments and, secondly, ethnological and non-European objects that have a connection to the eye. It thus illustrates Professor Aichmair’s broad interests and highly personal approach to his collecting work. The exhibition is supplemented with important objects and instruments from the Josephinum’s existing collections. In addition, exhibits from the clinics of the AKH show the capabilities and achievements of today’s ophthalmology.

Curators: Simon Weber-Unger & Moritz Stipsicz

As part of the exhibition “De oculis” and the ongoing series “Chiasmata”, we present interventions from six contemporary artists whose works deal in different ways with the eye and with seeing.