Elizabeth I's Manuscript of Pierre Boaistuau's Histoires Prodigieuses (1559)
3 days ago
- #Renaissance Manuscripts
- #Monstrous Births
- #Elizabeth I
- In 1559, Pierre Boaistuau sought Elizabeth I's endorsement for his 'Histoires Prodigieuses,' a manuscript blending a medieval bestiary with scientific discourse on birth defects.
- The work draws from diverse sources like the Bible, classical philosophy, folktales, and travel accounts, such as Ludovico di Varthema's misinterpreted Hindu temples.
- Illustrations include monstrous depictions, like a chicken-footed Hindu god inspired by Jörg Breu's woodcuts, and additions such as a demon emerging from the Devil's thighs.
- Boaistuau's themes critique popery through symbolism, like the Devil's three-tiered crown, and highlight wonders globally, from India to Europe, including deformed children.
- Causes of wonders are debated, with theories ranging from Biblical blame on women to maternal distraction during conception, exemplified by a hairy girl linked to a statue.
- Elizabeth I did not endorse the text, possibly due to unappealing chapters on kings' deaths, leading Boaistuau to publish in Paris in 1560, where it became popular.
- The manuscript's reflection on fallen rulers, like the King of Babylon, may have dissuaded the young queen from supporting its publication in England.