Monday 26 January 2009

Exhibit 00000009


17TH CENTURY BEZOAR IN GOLD FILIGREE CASING

A bezoar is a ball of swallowed foreign material (usually hair or fiber, but sometimes grit and stone) that collects in the stomach and fails to pass through the intestines. Mostly found in ruminating animals, those with glossy hair and a frivolous sense of rhythm. The Natural assumption, centuries ago, was that this would make them the perfect antidote to poison. Obviously. The word itself meant counter-poison or antidote in Persian. The gullible and affluent would purchase them at exorbitant prices to rub on infected areas or even ingest. Making them Bidigested matter. A Bezoar stone, such as this one, when placed in a beverage was thought to *purify it of poison and infections. *No refunds or exchanges available at any time.

Friday 16 January 2009

Exhibit 00000008

MARABU UND MASKEN (1915), COURTING (1914), RICHARD MULLER
Richard Müller 1874-1954, was such an astonishingly accomplished young draughtsperson that he attained a place in the Dresden Academy at the age of 16, and was a superlative etcher by the age of 21 but then gave it up for the last 30 years of his life and remained relatively unknown until 1974, 20 years after his death which evens it all out somewhat. Appears to have entertained an unnatural fetish for long-legged birds.

Wednesday 14 January 2009

Exhibit 00000007a/b

SIMPLE MICROSCOPE, 1680, PARIS
Manufactured by Depovilly from the famous design of 'father of microbiology': Antonij Van Leeuwenhoek. During his lifetime this gauchely over-achieving Dutchman ground 500 optical lenses, designed 400 types of microscope, discovered infusoria, bacteria, spermatazoa, single-celled organisms, was accepted into the English Royal Society, ran a drapery store, and presumably saved children and animals from drowning on a regular basis. Rumours that he was in possession of a remarkably small member are unsubstantiated.

Saturday 10 January 2009

Exhibit 00000006

18TH CENTURY ANATOMICAL BOWL MADE IN CHINA AND THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN DECORATED IN HOLLAND. The detail image to the left is most probably the heart, or lung, or reproductive organs, or bagpipes, or a kebab.

Exhibit 00000005a/b



PAINTED BY THE NEPALESE TANGKA ARTIST ROMIO SHRESTHA AND HIS STUDENTS IN KATHMANDU OVER 7 YEARS IN THE LATE 1980S, EARLY 1990S FROM ORIGINALS PAINTED BETWEEN 1687 AND 1703 DURING THE RULE OF THE FIFTH DALAI LAMA, TO ILLUSTRATE THE TANTRAS, THE WRITTEN FORM OF TRADITIONAL TIBETAN MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE. (The first image shows urinalysis, pathological signs and demonic possession, the 2nd shows Causes of disease...and apparently the anatomy of a clown, although with flowers removed from forearm compartment and length of feet drastically reduced to fit on paper)