A black and white woodcut illustration from an old book, featuring a list of German text on the left and a complex allegorical scene on the right.
humananimaltextsymbolwoodcutillustrationhistoricalmedicalastrologicalallegoryGerman textnude figureanimalssymbolism

This is a black and white woodcut illustration from an old book, likely an astrological or medical text. The image is divided into two main sections: a list of German text on the left and a complex allegorical scene on the right. The left side features a vertical list of German phrases, each accompanied by a small symbol or glyph. These likely represent different astrological or medical conditions or timings. The text is in a Gothic script. The right side depicts a complex scene with multiple figures. A central, nude male figure dominates the composition. He is positioned with his back to the viewer, and his body is divided into sections, each labeled with abbreviations like 'MIT', 'GVT', and 'BOS'. These labels likely correspond to the terms in the list on the left, indicating which body parts are affected by certain conditions. Around the central figure are smaller figures engaged in various activities. There's a figure kneeling and tending to the central figure's feet, another figure seemingly offering something to the central figure, and several other figures in the background. There are also animal figures, including a boar and a horse, adding to the allegorical nature of the scene. The overall style is characteristic of early woodcut illustrations, with bold lines and a somewhat crude but expressive quality. The image is rich in symbolism and likely intended to convey complex medical or astrological knowledge in a visual form.


License: CC0