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This collection of historical statues depicts gods, goddesses and saints of health as well as commoners with medical conditions. The statues originate from across the world and date back from 1000 BC to the 20th century.
In ancient Egypt, it was believed that the goddess Tawaret gave birth to the world. She was a protector of pregnant women and called upon during childbirth. For the Yoruba people of West Africa, a statue representation of the Earth goddess and ancestral mother figure Odudua has been a symbol of fertility and helps ensure safe delivery.
The daughter of Greco-Roman god of medicine Asclepius, Hygeia, was the goddess of good health and cleanliness. Her name is where the word ‘hygiene” derives from. In India, a wooden figure from the Nicobar would be set outside a sick person’s home to drive away bad spirits believed to cause illnesses.
Explore these and more statues from various backgrounds in this rich collection.
Explore the Wellcome Collection’s set of Chinese medical illustrations dating from 618-907 (The Tang Period) to the 1700s. They depict human illnesses, such as paediatric pox or smallpox, their diagnosis and treatment as well as famous medical figures like Shen Nong, a patron deity of Chinese medicine. The dataset illustrations also acknowledge the important medical role of animals and plants. Examples include the peacock, which was used to lower fever and remove poison, and the zelkova tree, which was known to treat seasonal headaches, heat poison and much more.
Discover high resolution medical educational posters by the British graphic designer Abram Games (1914 -1996).
He served in the British Army during World War Two and since 1942 was appointed as official War Artist for posters by the Public Relations Department of the War Office. In this role, he was allowed artistic freedom resulting in around 100 posters, known for their distinctive colours and daring graphic ideas. His posters are iconic for the way in which text and imagery combine to create an image that is both illustration and typographic. The style of his work has earned him a place among the best of 20th-century graphic designers.
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