concept

Two Hindu ascetics or holy men, one performing self-torture. Gouache painting by an artist of Thanjavur (Tanjore), ca. 1800 (?).

A Hindu ascetic or holy man performing self-torture, accompanied by a woman. Gouache painting by an artist of Thanjavur (Tanjore), ca. 1800 (?).

Top: Chinese men seeking alms by threatening to kill themselves by self-mutilation, one (left) kneeling to hit his head against a rock, and the other (right) with burning herbs on his head; below, a monk being whipped as a punishment for promiscuity. Engraving by C. Du Bosc after B. Picart after J. Nieuhof.

A Hindu ascetic or holy man: suspended by a hook and two spikes inserted through the muscles of his back. Gouache painting by an Indian artist.

Chinese men seeking alms by threatening to kill themselves by self-mutilation}: (left to right) two men hitting their heads against each other; a man kneeling to hit his head against a rock; a man with burning herbs on his head; a standing man hitting his head with a rock. Engraving after J. Nieuhof.

Bishop Frigidian (Fridian, Frediano) flanked by Saint Lucy, a donor, Saint Ursula and Saint James. Drawing by F. Rosaspina, c. 1830, after G. Francia.

A Hindu ascetic, or holy man: with a rod piercing his cheeks, and holding some ceremonial objects. Wood engraving, ca. 1890 (?).

A Hindu ascetic, or holy man: with two rods piercing his upper arms, and holding a trident in each hand. Coloured stipple engraving, 1828.

A beaver hiding from hunters and biting off its own testicles to leave them as their catch. Etching by W.S. Howitt.

The man is naked apart from a black turban and armbands, a sash and a g-string; he has black and white tilaka (religious markings) on his forehead and carries a bundle wrapped in saffron cloth on his right shoulder. He is cutting into his left thigh with a small knife, and appears to be vomiting into his kamandal (holy pot). The woman is dressed in a white robe, has white tilaka on her forehead, gold chains around her neck, and carries a kamandal

1 painting : gouache, with gold on card ; image and border 35.9 x 26.3 cm

6 unnumbered pages : colour illustrations ; 11 cm

The what the why the coping and the scars.

Description by Nieuhof: "When we had moored at the afore-said the town (Nanking), various beggars came aboard and indulged in some strange antics. Two of them butted each other’s heads to such an extraordinary degree that those who saw them were shocked. They did not stop until we gave them money; [if we had not done so] they would have battered each other to death, which had happened on various occasions. There was another one who was on his knees and seemed to be talking to himself and then he struck his forehead on a heavy rock. He knocked so hard that the earth trembled. Some of them had dry kindling on their heads which they set fire to and they let it burn down completely and it stank. They made so much noise with their shrieking and moaning that it was impossible not to give them something. Those who were blind went in groups. They hit so mercilessly to the rhythm some words on their bare chest and backs that blood spurted forth. Some of these beggars had been misshapen since childhood; their appearance was so ghastly they looked like devils."—Sun, op. cit. p. 229
Description by Du Halde, loc. cit.: "China swarms with strolling beggars, musicians and fortune tellers. These vagrants travel in companies, sometimes all blind folks; and they are as great impostors as the gypsies of Europe. They practise many austerities to extort alms, as scourging their bodies, laying burning coals on their heads, striking their foreheads against a stone, or one another, till huge lumps arise, or they fall down quite stunned. They will continue inflicting these severities on themselves till they die, unless the spectators give them something to desist. Many of them are cripples, having wry necks and mouths, broken backs, long hooked noses, eyes blind or squinting, and lame arms or legs. …"

1 print : engraving ; image/platemark 18.7 x 25.3 cm

Lucy holds a jar containing two eyes. Ursula carries the Christian banner of victory
A dove sits on the ground next to a small banner bearing the words "Il Franci[a]"

La Pinacoteca della Pontificia Accademia delle Belle Arti in Bologna

1 drawing : pencil ; border 24.6 x 18.9 cm.

1 print : stipple engraving, with watercolour ; sheet 18 x 10.2 cm

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Self-mutilation

Images

Catalogue

A Hindu ascetic or holy man performing self-torture, accompanied by a woman. Gouache painting by an artist of Thanjavur (Tanjore), ca. 1800 (?).

The what the why the coping and the scars.

Bishop Frigidian (Fridian, Frediano) flanked by Saint Lucy, a donor, Saint Ursula and Saint James. Drawing by F. Rosaspina, c. 1830, after G. Francia.

A Hindu ascetic, or holy man: with two rods piercing his upper arms, and holding a trident in each hand. Coloured stipple engraving, 1828.

Wellcome uses cookies.

Self-mutilation

Images

Catalogue

A Hindu ascetic or holy man performing self-torture, accompanied by a woman. Gouache painting by an artist of Thanjavur (Tanjore), ca. 1800 (?).

The what the why the coping and the scars.

Bishop Frigidian (Fridian, Frediano) flanked by Saint Lucy, a donor, Saint Ursula and Saint James. Drawing by F. Rosaspina, c. 1830, after G. Francia.

A Hindu ascetic, or holy man: with two rods piercing his upper arms, and holding a trident in each hand. Coloured stipple engraving, 1828.

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