How did medical professionals, artists, and members of the general public view depression and mental illness in France during the Renaissance? Created by scholar Radu Sucui at Paris-Diderot University in 2011, Medical Case Studies on Renaissance Melancholy is an "online publication project" dedicated to this question. This project centers a number of illustrations (courtesy of the Wellcome Library and British Museum) along with transcribed documents. Most illustrations are accompanied by short annotations that provide additional historical context. For example, Matthaus Greuter's 1587 allegorical sketch The Power of Venus is accompanied by an explanation of what each mythological figure represents. The exhibit includes annotations authored in both English and French, and visitors have the option of using Google Translate as they navigate the project. (Visitors should note that all transcriptions are in French). The project is organized into categories, including melancholy, extraordinary cures, and lovesickness.
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