The Book of Exposition: A Collection of 15th-Century Erotica from the Middle East (1900)
A collection of fifteenth-century erotica from the Middle East, translated with a lengthy opening essay by the anonymous English Bohemian….more
Wellcome Library
The Wellcome is one of the world's major resources for the study of medical history. On 20th January 2014, over 100,000 images from the historical holdings of the world-renowned Wellcome Library were made freely available through the Wellcome Images website. They were released under the Creative Commons-Attribution only (CC-BY 4.0) licence and they can be downloaded directly from the Wellcome Images website for any personal or commercial use.
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OUR CONTENT FROM THE WELLCOME LIBRARY
Swedish House-Gymnastics (1913)
These wonderful photographs, which make such innovative use of multiple exposure, are from a 1913 book by Theodor Bergquist, Director of the Swedish Gymnastic Insti…more
Steam-Powered Tooth Extraction on an Envelope (1894)
This wonderful sketch of “teeth painlessly extracted by steam power” appears on an envelope addressed to a certain Dr J. Chapman of Totton, Southampton. As to w…more
A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1788)
A compendium of slang from the sordid streets of after-hours Georgian London, compiled by Francis Grose….more
The Concealed Erotic Paintings of Sommonte (19th Century)
A wonderfully unique object, at first glance merely a painting of roses, but with hidden erotic scenes beneath….more
Arcimboldo-esque Composite Portraits of Trades (ca. 1800)
Lovely aquatint print depicting four composite portraits for the professions of florist, writer, musician, and barber — their features made up entirely from the t…more
The Surreal Art of Alchemical Diagrams
The varied tradition of alchemy has given birth to a whole host of strange and wondrous imagery over the centuries. Here we pick out some favourites….more
The Singerie: Monkeys acting as Humans in Art
Examples of Singerie, from the French for Monkey Trick, a genre of art in which monkeys are depicted aping human behaviour….more
The Steps of Life
Selection of images illustrating on the idea that one’s life can be thought of as divisible into distinct stages….more
New Elucidations of Thomson’s Seasons (1822)
Skeletons up to all sorts in this light-hearted satire of James Thomson’s poem Spring, from the pen of humorist Henry James Pidding….more
Anatomical Illustrations from 15th-century England
Anatomical illustrations from an English medical treatise dating from the mid 15th century, including a Wound Man illustration, depicting a man who has been stabbed…more
Georg Bartisch’s Ophthalmodouleia (1583)
Images from Ophthalmodouleia Das ist Augendienst, the first Renaissance manuscript on ophthalmic disorders and eye surgery, published in 1583 by German physician Ge…more