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Tiny things I loved as an early modernist in Season 2 of Discovery of Witches (based on the books written by @DebHarkness...an Elizabethan scholar and expert in 16th/17th science/alchemy!).
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1. The hanging papers in Matthew's office.
At first it looks like you are walking into an inner sanctum of madness like in A Dangerous Mind, but this is how folks used to file and store papers. They were tucked behind strings on boards, & hung in labeled bags or tied stacks.
At first it looks like you are walking into an inner sanctum of madness like in A Dangerous Mind, but this is how folks used to file and store papers. They were tucked behind strings on boards, & hung in labeled bags or tied stacks.
To learn more about early modern filing, check out this great page from the Folger: https://collation.folger.edu/2013/03/filing-seventeenth-century-style/
2. Mary Sidney's lab.
Plenty of early modern women were scholars of science, but rarely do they make it to the spotlight. Mary Sidney is most famous for her play and poems, but she was an intelligent woman deeply interested in the natural world. She had her own chemistry lab!
Plenty of early modern women were scholars of science, but rarely do they make it to the spotlight. Mary Sidney is most famous for her play and poems, but she was an intelligent woman deeply interested in the natural world. She had her own chemistry lab!
The Oxford UP has an amazing collection of her works, including excellent commentary on her studies in the sciences. (It is expensive so use your library!) https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-collected-works-of-mary-sidney-herbert-countess-of-pembroke-9780198112808?cc=us&lang=en&
3. The root in Emperor Rudolf II's Kunstkammer.
Anyone who has studied Edward Kelley knows about his visit to Rudolf II. The Emperor was an avid collector of curiosities, like the infamous Voynich manuscript. One of the things he collected were "magical" mandrake roots.
Anyone who has studied Edward Kelley knows about his visit to Rudolf II. The Emperor was an avid collector of curiosities, like the infamous Voynich manuscript. One of the things he collected were "magical" mandrake roots.
For more about Rudolf II's collection and other "cabinets of curiosities" from the period, check out this book: https://shop.getty.edu/products/art-and-curiosity-cabinets-of-the-late-renaissance-a-contribution-to-the-history-of-collecting-978-1606066652
4. The miniatures of Diana and Matthew.
I flipped out when I saw these...in a good way. The bright blue background was the same signature blue background used by England's most famous miniaturist Nicholas Hilliard. The nod to this famous artist did not go unnoticed!
I flipped out when I saw these...in a good way. The bright blue background was the same signature blue background used by England's most famous miniaturist Nicholas Hilliard. The nod to this famous artist did not go unnoticed!
For more Hilliard miniatures, check out the National Portrait Gallery website. They have several of his pieces as well as other resources:
https://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/elizabethan-treasures/exhibition/
https://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/elizabethan-treasures/exhibition/
5. The pox scars on Queen Elizabeth I.
Barbara Marten's Elizabeth I is, by far, the BEST portrayal of Queen Bess I have ever seen. Not only did she nail her natural curiosity, sharp intellect, and infamous temper, but the make up artists actually gave her the smallpox scars.
Barbara Marten's Elizabeth I is, by far, the BEST portrayal of Queen Bess I have ever seen. Not only did she nail her natural curiosity, sharp intellect, and infamous temper, but the make up artists actually gave her the smallpox scars.
6. Queen Elizabeth I's black teeth.
I have to give another shout out to the make up folks for this one. Elizabeth I's teeth were actually blackened over time due to decay from her sugar addiction. Women wanting to copy Queen Bess's beauty trends would also blacken their teeth.
I have to give another shout out to the make up folks for this one. Elizabeth I's teeth were actually blackened over time due to decay from her sugar addiction. Women wanting to copy Queen Bess's beauty trends would also blacken their teeth.
Queen Bess was a badass lady and worth learning more about. I have greatly enjoyed this collection of her works and highly recommend it: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/E/bo3613202.html
7. Christopher Marlowe's sexual fluidity.
During this time, platonic love between men was often viewed as a higher love than between husband & wife. However, scholars have long noted that the same-sex desire in Marlowe's writing suggests his love & sexuality may be more fluid.
During this time, platonic love between men was often viewed as a higher love than between husband & wife. However, scholars have long noted that the same-sex desire in Marlowe's writing suggests his love & sexuality may be more fluid.
I'm a big fan of Valerie Traub's work. For more on the broad spectrum of sexualities in the early modern period, I recommend her book Thinking Sex with the Early Moderns.
https://www.upenn.edu/pennpress/book/15449.html
https://www.upenn.edu/pennpress/book/15449.html
8. The disagreement about High Magic.
In this time period, high magic, or ceremonial magic, was highly debated. In general, it involved the communication with (and controlling/restraining) spirits. Some condemned it as evil while others thought it could be used for good.
In this time period, high magic, or ceremonial magic, was highly debated. In general, it involved the communication with (and controlling/restraining) spirits. Some condemned it as evil while others thought it could be used for good.
Deborah Harkness actually wrote a scholarly book on this. John Dee was one of the most famous (infamous?) Elizabethan figures to converse with spirits (angels). You can find her book here: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/john-dees-conversations-with-angels/1AA428CFF578B7D705FA8ED8EDF2F36D
Tip for those interested in Renaissance magic: Stick with peer-reviewed presses such as university presses if you want the actual history & scholarly discussions. Stay away from presses like Llewellyn...unless you are a neo-pagan, then go for it.
Just know there is a difference!
Just know there is a difference!
9. Edward Kelley's ears.
At this point in Kelley's life, he was missing the tops of his ears. They were cropped as punishment for forgery/counterfeiting. In the show, they were careful not to show the tops of the actor's ears! They were obscured by his hair & shadow. Clever!
At this point in Kelley's life, he was missing the tops of his ears. They were cropped as punishment for forgery/counterfeiting. In the show, they were careful not to show the tops of the actor's ears! They were obscured by his hair & shadow. Clever!
The alchemical wedding was a widely discussed aspect of alchemy in the Renaissance. If you want to see something cool, check out this beautiful 1459 book called Chymische Hochzeit Christiani Rosencreutz (The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz) https://books.google.com/books?id=TV46AAAAcAAJ&ots=G286hpIEhs&dq=Chymische%20Hochzeit%20Christiani%20Rosencreutz&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false
10. John Dee's wax seal.
At first I thought this was Dee's famous Great Seal, but it isn't. This is the seal of the seven archangels (olympic spirits) based on the grimoire Arbatel de Magia Veterum (1575) that Dee was a fan of. (Sadly I can't remember who first made this seal.)
At first I thought this was Dee's famous Great Seal, but it isn't. This is the seal of the seven archangels (olympic spirits) based on the grimoire Arbatel de Magia Veterum (1575) that Dee was a fan of. (Sadly I can't remember who first made this seal.)
You can see a scan of the original book in the link below: https://books.google.com/books?id=aWpjAAAAcAAJ&pg=PR4&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=2#v=onepage&q&f=false
Footnote: My heart was caught in my throat when I saw the Mortlake library in this series. The sacking of this library, a collection of 4,000 works, was one of the greatest intellectual losses of the 16th century. The ruin of his great library was one of Dee's greatest sorrows.
