Barker or doctor, Germany, 1700-1733. Baroque pearls, gold, diamonds, enamel, Gamienstein, Obsidian, chalcedony, carnelian, jade, agate, shell, Plasma, amber, jasper. H 12,2 cm. Inventory number VI 120. Green Vault © Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden 2016

The theme of the composite of eight different materials Gemstone figure designate the addendum to Pretiosen inventory, where the statuette is listed first: "A small Cabinet Stückgen 5 inches tall, imagining a doctor ...". In later inventories the same statuette appears well because of their expressive speech rich gesture as Barker. Both terms are complementary, leading one bears in mind, by any means in the early 18th century itinerant dentists and quacks offered their art to the public markets. The most famous healer of this type was Johannes Andreas Eisenbarth (1663 - 1727), whose occurrence markschreierisches the popular type of Quachsalbers decided coined. The right hand raised, open the left, fixed with legs slightly apart on the ground, the Medicus confronts his audience. The short black coat, the golden Umlegetuch and flashy hat belonged to the civil clothes wandering physician. Behind the quack sat on a small table an educated beaded monkey. Subsequent changes in the group of figures now make it almost impossible to use the monkey back to the right place. The presence of a monkey with a wandering physicians explained partly from their exoticism that should arouse interest among the public. On the other hand were monkeys symbolizing vice and vanity and also as a symbol of the imitation of nature by man.