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162 results
  • A Justicia plant: flowering stem and root. Watercolour.
  • Justicia martinicensis Jacq.: flowering stem. Coloured engraving after F. von Scheidl, 1776.
  • Myrtus communis L. Myrtaceae Myrtle Distribution: Europe. Dioscorides (Beck, 2005) recommends the fruit for treating haemoptysis (‘spitting blood’) and cystitis, and, if boiled, he said it made a fine wine. In various forms it was used as a hair dye, for sore eyes, anal and uterine prolapse, dandruff and shingles, all sorts of inflammations, scorpion bites and even sweaty armpits. Our plant has white berries, but he regarded those with black berries (they become black later in the season) as being more effective. Lyte (1576) adds that the juice of the berries kept the hair black and stopped it falling out, and prevented intoxication. He notes that it only flowered in hot summers in England, but it is reliable in flower now, either due to global warming or selection of suitable clones. According to Lyte, it is named after Merlyne, a fair maiden of Athens in ancient Greece, who judged the athletic games. Slain by a disgruntled competitor, the goddess Minerva brought her back as the myrtle tree in perpetual memory. The myrtle tree is also an ancient Jewish symbol for peace and justice. Myrtle wine is still made in Tuscany and now even in China. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • A plant (Justicia bicalyculata Willd.): branch with flowers and fruit and separate flower and opened fruit with seed. Coloured line engraving.
  • Two Chinese prisoners with their necks enclosed in stocks known as the 'cangue', watched by a guard and a weeping woman. Gouache painting on rice-paper, 1780/1880?.
  • Chinese prisoners being subjected to torture: two men are shown bound and suspended from a horizontal pole, watched by their torturer, while two others await a similar fate below. Gouache painting on rice-paper, 1780/1880?.
  • A kneeling Chinese woman is subjected to torture: the woman's hands are tied above her head, while two men insert a pole between her wrists. Gouache painting on rice-paper, 1780/1880?.
  • A Chinese man and woman shown with their necks enclosed in stocks known as the 'cangue'. Gouache painting on rice-paper, 1780/1880?.
  • A Chinese courtroom (?): a woman is shown being beaten, as she kneels before a formally-dressed official, who is writing at a desk. Gouache painting on rice-paper, 1780/1880?.
  • A Chinese man being taken prisoner: a man is shown being led away by two other men, who pull on a chain attached to his neck, while a woman and child look on. Gouache painting on rice-paper, 1780/1880?.
  • A kneeling Chinese woman is subjected to a beating, while a fellow prisoner looks on, his wrists enclosed in stocks. Gouache painting on rice-paper, 1780/1880?.
  • Two Chinese prisoners carrying heavy loads on poles balanced on their shoulders: the men have their legs shackled and are led by two other men, who hold the long chains attached to the prisoners' necks. Gouache painting on rice-paper, 1780/1880?.
  • Two Chinese prisoners receiving food: an official is shown supervising the weighing and distribution of food to the two prisoners, who are shown carring one small bowl each. Gouache painting on rice-paper, 1780/1880?.
  • Job rides on a turtle in front of his wife, his comforters and the devil. Engraving by D.V. Coornhert after M. van Heemskerck, 1559.
  • God and his angels sit in judgment; they divide humanity into the elect and the damned. Mezzotint by J. Stephenson after J. Martin.
  • The Tombs prison, Centre Street, New York City. Photograph by Francis Frith, ca. 1880.
  • A Chinese man with bound hands, surrounded by a guard holding a chain and a guard holding a stick, is kneeling before a magistrate seated at his desk and his two assistants. Coloured stipple print by J. Dadley, 1801.
  • Head of a woman representing clemency. Drawing, c. 1791, after Raphael.
  • Head of a woman representing clemency. Drawing, c. 1791, after Raphael.
  • Dr Simon Sparrow (played by Dirk Bogarde) spanking a nurse in the film 'Doctor at large'. Colour lithograph, 1959.
  • The birth of King Louis XIII. Engraving by B. Audran the elder after J.M. Nattier after P.P. Rubens.
  • The Tombs prison, Centre Street, New York City. Photograph by Francis Frith, ca. 1880.
  • A man speaking to a crowd: democracy and governance in Rwanda. Lithograph, ca. 2001.
  • A crowd of Rwandans around a speaker: democracy and governance in Rwanda. Lithograph, ca. 2001.
  • A man speaking to a crowd: democracy and governance in Rwanda. Lithograph, ca. 2001.
  • Crowds of Rwandans guided by arrows to different groups watched by a speaker: democracy and governance in Rwanda. Lithograph, ca. 2001.
  • Illustration to a proverb: the philandering Babu and the musk rat at a party. Watercolour drawing, c. 1870.
  • A young man (William Booth) stands before a table at which sit a magistrate and his clerk; a boy whispers something into the magistrate's ear. Engraving by J. Saunders after S. de Wilde.
  • Four scenes all involving water: trial by water, people using divination rods, and different types of rods. Engraving.
  • The naked are led to hell on the day of judgement. Etching.