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Ele Willoughby, PhD

3 days ago • •

Ele Willoughby, PhD
3 days ago • •

Today is the feast day of Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), here surrounded by plants & a mineral she touted as medical treatments, her invented alphabet & model of the universe. One of my most popular prints this year!

Her writings preserve not only her own knowledge & theories but the nature of institutional #medicine & folk healing of her day (which she deftly combined). While she might be best remembered today as a composer
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#printmaking #womenInSTEM #histSci #histMed #botany #MastoArt

This is my 11" x 14" linocut of Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), surrounded by plants & a mineral she touted as medical treatments, her invented alphabet & model of the universe, on ivory Japanese washi paper. She is printed in dark blue. She is dressed in a habit holding a scroll with one of her Gregorian chants in Medieval musical notation. Her model of the universe is depicted on her habit. Clockwise from the top, she is surrounded: by tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) which has antibacterial and toxic contents; common comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is sometimes used on the skin to treat wounds and reduce inflammation from sprains and broken bones, it roots and leaves contain allantoin, a substance that helps new skin cells grow, along with other substances that reduce inflammation and keep skin healthy; mandrake (species in the genus Mandragora, either Mandragora officinarum or Mandragora autumnalis) which contain deliriant hallucinogenic tropane alkaloids which are poisonous; sulfur for skin ailments does indeed act as a fungicide; lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) which has been shown to have some calming effects, some antibacterial properties and positive effects on indigestion; and quince (Cydonia oblonga), which while understudied, there is some early evidence that it may help prevent stomach ulcers. Above and below Hildegard is the alphabet along with her own alternate alphabet Litterae ignotae which she used for her own Lingua ignota (Unknown Language).

#MastoArt #medicine #printmaking #womeninstem #histsci #botany #histmed

This entry was edited (3 days ago)

in reply to Ele Willoughby, PhD

Ele Willoughby, PhD

in reply to Ele Willoughby, PhD • 3 days ago • •

of 70 Gregorian chants & musical dramas (& as a Catholic saint, theologian, her 3 books on her visions & 2 biographies) she is also recognized as the progenitor of #naturalHistory in German-speaking lands & author of medical & natural history texts. She even invented her own script & language!

Born in Rhineland she entered the double-monastery at Disibodenberg at 14. Her respected magistra Jutta (1092-1136) became her mentor & teacher. She was assigned to the infirmary, where she would have 🧵2/

#naturalhistory

in reply to Ele Willoughby, PhD

Ele Willoughby, PhD

in reply to Ele Willoughby, PhD • 3 days ago • •

been responsible for, in particular for but likely not limited to, the health of the women at the monastery & adjoining community. She would also have had access to the books & knowledge of her male counterpart, who was responsible in particular for the health of the men. After Jutta’s death, #Hildegard was elected magistra & she lead the Disibodenberg nuns until 1148, when inspired by a vision, she moved them all to a new monastery at Rupertsberg at Bingen. She immediately began writing her 🧵3/

#hildegard

in reply to Ele Willoughby, PhD

Ele Willoughby, PhD

in reply to Ele Willoughby, PhD • 3 days ago • •

medical text Causae et curae, presumably to ensure that her replacement in the infirmary had all the knowledge she would need. She lived in the new monastery until her death at 81. She was a prodigious correspondent and has been called a Medieval “Dear Abby” because of her letters to such luminaries as King Henry II of England, King Louis VII of France, the Holy Roman Emperor Frederic I Barbarossa, the Byzantine Empress Agnes of France, popes & others. 🧵4/

in reply to Ele Willoughby, PhD

Ele Willoughby, PhD

in reply to Ele Willoughby, PhD • 3 days ago • •

She was invited to preach at nearby cathedrals including at Cologne, Mainz & Worms. She was so respected & renown that at age 80 she was able to simply defy the pope & he had to retract his instruction to excommunicate a man in her community.

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