When you think of medieval art, what do you think of? Is there a group of people called Knights and Ladies? There are biblical scenes. Do you mean cathedrals? It is most likely not a man who is vomiting.
This scene is found in a luxurious book from the Middle Ages made with the highest quality materials. Most books before the adoption of the printing press were made by hand.
The opulent art form depicts a mundane topic.
According to scholars, a French countess ordered the creation of a health manual for her four daughters just as they were starting their own households. The book, known as the "Régime du corps," or "regimen of the body," was popular across Europe in the 13th and 15th century. Today, over 70 unique manuscripts are still around. They give a glimpse into many aspects of medieval life, from sleeping, bathing and preparing food to bloodletting.
I published a book called "Visualizing Household Health: Medieval Women, Art, and Knowledge in the Régime du corps" about these magnificent illustrations. The depiction of the responsibilities of women in wealthy medieval households is fascinating to me.
The illustrations are usually located at the beginning of the chapter. The clothes, objects and furnishings of the period are revealed by the images. The culture and society in which these books were made are reflected in the interactions shown.
Two women are depicted opposite each other in a scene related to caring for a newborn. A closer look shows that the well-dressed woman on the right is grabbing the exposed breast of the woman in simpler clothes. The evaluation of a potential wet nurse is depicted in this scene.
The use of wet nurses in the Middle Ages was a matter of life and death implications, but choosing a good wet nurse was important. Aldobrandino is the author of the book "Régime du corps", and he warns about the dangers of a bad nurse. Each woman has a different set of clothing and headwear. The elite woman made it clear who was in control of the scene.
Upper-class women are presented with clothing, objects and gestures that convey authority, often in dialogue with those who are shown as laborers. There are chapters about various foods and their health benefits for servants in elite households.
Men and women are shown working with animals. The creators of the manuscripts chose to make mundane and repetitive work visible but also to treat the high status physician and milkmaid as valid subjects for depiction.
Balance in the body was one of the strategies used to maintain the health of family members in the Middle Ages. The release of bodily fluids through purge or bloodletting was recommended by the "Régime du corps".
Cupping, or the placement of heated glass cups onto the skin, was one of the procedures that surgeons oversaw. It is not unusual to see physicians and other male practitioners represented, implying that elite households used them.
Women are shown administering treatments. A woman in a headdress signals that she is a worker.
Medieval health care involved a wide range of tools, from medicine, surgical treatments, food, prayer and charms, and a wide variety of individuals offered their services both inside and outside of the home. Women sometimes administered such care, but also did so through their own homes.
The images offered by the "Régime du corps" showed women asserting authority over the care of their families, providing treatment and contributing to a well-run household. The elite owners of these books were given an added benefit by the fact that they had possession of such manuscripts.
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