Pieter Bruegel the Elder, The Blind Leading the Blind. 1568.
For so long the blind were condemned to stay in the darkness, without having anyone to help them, forced to rely on each other. What the braille system achieved, was giving back their independence. They are now able the live independently.
Reading a multi-sensorial experience
Reading is like embarking on a thrilling adventure, where our senses come alive and transport us to magical worlds. As children, we eagerly listen to the enchanting tales our parents read to us, their voices painting vivid pictures in our minds. And then, we take our first steps into the realm of reading, where we learn to decipher the mysterious symbols on the page.
But reading is not just about decoding words. It’s a symphony of sensations that dance together, creating a symphony of understanding. As we glide our fingers across the page, we feel the texture of the paper beneath our touch, connecting us to the words in a tangible way. We explore the pages, searching for illustrations that bring the story to life, allowing our imaginations to soar.
Yet, for the blind, reading becomes a different kind of journey. It becomes a dance of touch, where their fingers become their eyes, tracing the raised letters and braille that form the words. The chosen paintings, although not originally intended for this purpose, now serve as powerful tools to depict the multi-sensorial experience of reading. They capture the essence of reading as a symphony of senses, inviting us to explore the world of literature through different perspectives.
In this captivating exploration, we discover that reading is not confined to a single sense. It transcends the boundaries of sight and sound, inviting us to embrace the touch, the smell, and even the taste of the words on the page. It is a journey that engages all our senses, igniting our imagination and opening doors to endless possibilities.
So let us celebrate the power of reading, for it is not just a mere act of deciphering words, but a sensory feast that nourishes our souls. Let us cherish the stories that have shaped us, and the stories yet to be discovered. For in the world of reading, there are no limits, only boundless horizons waiting to be explored.
Rembrandt Peale – Man Reading by Candlelight
The sight. Behold the sight! Rembrandt’s masterpiece not only captures the essence of a painting, but also symbolizes the plight endured by the blind throughout centuries. Though it was not Rembrant’s wish it is to transmit this message, this is on the contrary the interpretation we provide. Imagine being engulfed in perpetual darkness, where the world remains hidden, yet within this obscurity lies an untapped brilliance. Just like the remarkable discoveries of Braille, Nicholas de Saunderson, and countless other blind luminaries who defied their limitations and revolutionized their respective fields. But fear not, for progress has shone a glimmer of hope upon the visually impaired. The advancements in ophthalmology and the ingenious invention of spectacles have bestowed upon them a newfound ease in navigating the world. No longer confined to the shadows, they can now embrace the beauty and wonders that were once concealed from their grasp.
Egon Schiele – Dr. Hugo Koller
The touch. Touch. It’s not just a sense, it’s a lifeline for the blind. It’s their unwavering companion, their trusted guide, and their ultimate reference point. You see, when one sense is taken away, the others rise to the occasion, and for the blind, touch becomes their superpower. Imagine having a heightened level of touch, so finely tuned that it becomes a sixth sense. That’s what the blind possess. Deprived of sight, they have honed their sense of touch to an extraordinary degree. Their fingertips become their eyes, allowing them to navigate the world with unparalleled precision. Through touch, the blind can unlock the secrets of the written word. They run their fingers over braille, feeling the raised dots that form letters and words, and magically, the words come alive in their minds. They can read, devouring stories and knowledge, just like anyone else. But touch doesn’t stop at reading. It extends to the realm of numbers as well. With their nimble fingers, the blind can count, calculate, and comprehend the intricacies of mathematics. Numbers become tangible, dancing beneath their fingertips, revealing their hidden patterns and connections. And it doesn’t end there. Touch allows the blind to grasp the world around them, to understand its textures, shapes, and forms. They can feel the roughness of tree bark, the smoothness of a polished stone, and the delicate petals of a flower. Through touch, they can truly experience the beauty that surrounds them.
Elisabeth Jerichau-Baumann – A Wounded Danish Soldier
The hearing. Imagine a world where your sense of touch is extended to a whole new level – a world where hearing becomes your second most essential sense. For the blind, this is their reality. And for many years, they relied on the power of their ears to navigate through life. In the ancient times, when education was still in its infancy, blind individuals were taught through the art of oral tradition. Socrates, the great philosopher, believed that the best way to learn was through the spoken word. And so, blind students would immerse themselves in the world of sound, absorbing knowledge through the power of their ears. But hearing was not just a means of learning for the blind; it was also their compass in the world. Take Maria Von Theresia, for example. With her keen sense of hearing, she could distinguish the grandeur of a large house just by the echoes that danced around her. She could memorize her path by the rhythm of her footsteps, creating a mental map of her surroundings. But it didn’t stop there. Maria’s acute hearing allowed her to detect the subtle nuances of her environment. She could tell if she had reached a dead-end, a cul-de-sac, just by the absence of sound bouncing back at her. And she was not easily fooled either. With her ears as her guide, she could sense if someone was trying to take advantage of her blindness by serving her an excessive amount of wine.