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  • Book extract

Renaissance women and their killer cosmetics

In this extract from ‘How to be a Renaissance Woman’, Jill Burke delves into a complex world of beauty products, poison and patriarchy – and reveals the impossible contradictions of femininity faced by 16th-century women.

  • Article

Communities of cross-feeders

A desire to help leads some women to “cross-feed” – breastfeed other parents’ babies for free. Alev Scott delves into the emotions behind this altruistic act.

  • Long read

Primodos, paternalism and the fight to be heard

Journalist Florence Wildblood examines the case of Primodos – a conveniently quick but risky hormone pregnancy test that was prescribed in the 1960s and ’70s – and profiles two women at the story’s shocking heart.

  • Article

Getting under the skin

Before the invention of X-ray in 1895 there was really only one way to accurately study the human body, and that was to cut it open.

All stories (8)

Images

  • China: a woman sentenced to execution by strangulation for murdering her husband. Photograph, 19--.
  • Decapitation of Saint John the Baptist. Engraving by S.A. Bolswert after Sir P.P. Rubens.
  • Decapitation of Saint John the Baptist. Lithograph by J. Dickson after Cesare da Sesto.
  • Saint John the Baptist: Salome holding his severed head on a charger. Etching by F. Huot, 1787, after P. Bordone.
  • Decapitation of Saint John the Baptist. Stipple engraving by W. French after C. Dolci.
  • Decapitation of Saint John the Baptist. Line engraving by Rivers, 1813, after G. Douw.
  • Decapitation of Saint John the Baptist. Pencil drawing.
  • The decapitation of Saint John the Baptist. Wood engraving by C.A. Zscheckel after Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld.
  • Decapitation of Saint John the Baptist. Etching by F. Forster after Cesare da Sesto.
  • Decapitation of Saint John the Baptist. Engraving by N. Le Mire, 1791, after Borel after G. Reni.
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