Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 2 shows three depictions of uroscopy from the thirteenth and
fourteenth centuries that later, with some modifications, became common
motifs: the study of uroscopy with matula and book, the teaching of uro-
scopy to a pupil, and the medical practice of uroscopy, with patients lin-
ing up with their boxed matulae in front of a physician. However, in the
first two manuscript based images the physician holds the bottom of the
matula, which is still reminiscent of the late antique motif of the medi-
cine vessel described above. Only the third one (Figure 2c) presents the
posture that later became stereotypical for medicine and much later for
chemistry: the flask held at the neck and raised high in front of the eyes.
Unlike the two medical manuscript illustrations (Figures 2a and b) this
relief, which was publicly placed among Giotto's and Pisano's famous
emblematic representations of the liberal arts at the Campanile of the Ca-
thedral of Florence, was clearly intended to be a popular emblematic rep-
resentation of medicine.
4
Prior to the establishment of European universities a debate had be-
gun about the order of knowledge and thus about the ranking and order
of the arts and crafts. This debate continued for centuries and employed
emblematic depictions of the various disciplines, which are another use-
ful source for medieval visual studies. In these illustrations medicine was
routinely portrayed through uroscopy (Figures 3a and b). By the late
fourteenth century uroscopy was a fully established public emblem of
medicine throughout Europe. The image was probably even used as a
trademark of medicine and put on signboards at the doors of practicing
physicians.
5
By the early fifteenth century this symbol was so highly
venerated that the twin saints Cosmas and Damian, who had become the
Christian patrons of medicine due to a 'miraculous' surgery in the third
or fourth century, were often portrayed in the pose of urine inspection in
churches and other religious contexts (Figure 3c).
6
4
Relief variations of the motif soon appeared on other public places, like the Notre-
Dame cathedrals in both Rouen (Zglinicki 1982, p. 133) and Paris (http://education.
umn.edu/EdPA/iconics/wander/tour7la.htm, Figure 1-023).
5
Connor 2001, referring to Garrison 1917, pp. 165-6.
6
For a collection of examples, see Zglinicki 1982, pp. 135-146.
