A Potions Class

This medieval book, Ortus Sanitatis, is the first printed encyclopedia of natural history, featuring sections devoted to plants, animals, birds, fish and stones. The title is Latin for ‘The Garden of Health’. In this woodcut engraving we are shown a Potions master instructing a group of students. The page appears at the beginning of the section called ‘De Lapidibus’ (On Stones), and it has been coloured by hand. The Potions master is shown wearing an ermine-lined grey cloak, clutching a stick in his left hand, with his assistant before him holding open a book of recipes.

JACOB MEYDENBACH, ORTUS SANITATIS (STRASBOURG, 1491)

British Library

“The Ortus Sanitatis is an important scientific book, but this illustration is also packed with wonderful human detail. Work is in progress in this scene, but it is questionable how much attention the students are paying to their teacher.”

Julian Harrison
Lead Curator