The Virgin Mary and the Christ child, with Saint Augustine, Saint George, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Stephen and an angel with a lily. Drawing by F. Rosaspina, c. 1830, after F. Francia.

Christ winnowing evil from the human heart; a penitent bathing in the blood and water from Christ's side; an angel locking a dragon in hell. Engraving by H. Goltzius, 1578.

A putto pours a phial into a dragon's mouth, pumping a bellows with his other hand; representing the fixing of volatile matter in the alchemical process. Watercolour painting by E.A. Ibbs.

The woman clothed with the sun is attacked by a seven-headed dragon; her child is ejected up to God: representing the 12th Book of Revelation. Engraving.

A scholar in a surgeon's workroom with a jar of spirits containing Saint Michael defeating a dragon with a barbued tonge; representing the scholar's knowledge of chemistry enabling surgeons to heal, by setting the beneficent force of alkalis against the noxious force of acids. Etching by P.P. Bouche, ca. 1686.

Dragons and griffins around a lone flowering tree in a landscape on the outskirts of a town; representing a stage in the alchemical process. Coloured etching after etching, ca. 17th century.

The archangel Michael, holding a flaming sword and the scales of justice; in heaven the angels kneel before Christ; representing the Day of Judgement. Woodcut.

Saint Ignatius of Loyola: he drives away with a stick a dragon representing the devil. Engraving.

Three men ride through the sky on black, red and white lions (colours of the alchemical process); beneath, men lay sprawled among dismembered limbs. Coloured etching after etching, ca. 17th century.

The mystic marriage of Saint Catherine of Alexandria to the Christ child; Saint Joseph looks at angels who bear attributes of Saint Barbara and Saint Margaret. Drawing by F. Rosaspina, c. 1830, after A. Tiarini.

1 drawing : red, yelllow, blue, green, brown, black pencil on paper ; sheet 21.6 cm x 33.2 cm

Sketch of a dragon.

1 print : engraving ; platemark 17.6 x 27.1 cm

A camel surrounded by various named animals, flowers and insects, including a giraffe and flying dragon. Engraving by D. Loggan, 1663, after W. Hollar.

10 unnumbered pages, 427 pages, 31 unnumbered pages : illustrations ; folio (38 cm)

Vlyssis Aldrovandi patricii Bononiensis Serpentum, et draconu[m] historiae libri duo / Bartholomaeus Ambrosinus ... pr[a]efectus summo labore opus concinnauit ... cum indice memorabilium, nec non uariaru[m] linguaru[m] locupletissimo ... ; sumptibus M Antonij Berni[a]e bibliopol[a]e Bononiensis.

Bellerophon slaying the Chimera; representing the defeat of heresy (Protestantism) in Belgium by Ferdinand of Spain. Etching by T. van Thulden, c. 1640, after P.P. Rubens, 1635.

1 print : line engraving with etching ; platemark approximately 11.1 x 13.8 cm

Aesculapius, transformed into a dragon, embarks from Epidaurus on to a ship bound for Rome following the request from the Roman ambassadors that he stop the plague in Rome. Engraving attributed to Briot, 16--.

Galleries and Reading Room

Library

Shop

Café

It's not possible to book tickets for events at present due to a problem with the ticketing system. We're working to fix it. You can still search and check information about events but please try again later if you want to book a ticket.

We're running paid user research studies to improve Wellcome Collection online

Take part in research

The archives landing page, archive category pages, and the 'Browse archives' link on the archive card list.

A 'Browse other types of archives' section.

Archive browsing

Archive collection level pages, plus the archive collection treatment on the work page and in search results.

The catalogue API's shortDescription is shown on the archive collection hero and in search results.

Archive collection

Clicking an image opens its details in a sidebar instead of a modal, with the selected image highlighted in the grid.

Updated image results grid and a re-sizable viewing pane.

Larger thumbnail, plus key information and onward journey in the sidebar.

Image sidebar preview

The three thematic browsing category pages (subjects, people & organisations, types & techniques) become accessible.

Subject sub-category pages become accessible, and the subjects category page gains a sub-category menu.

Dragons

Images from the collections

Images referencing Dragons

Works from the collections

Sketch of a dragon.

A camel surrounded by various named animals, flowers and insects, including a giraffe and flying dragon. Engraving by D. Loggan, 1663, after W. Hollar.

Vlyssis Aldrovandi patricii Bononiensis Serpentum, et draconu[m] historiae libri duo / Bartholomaeus Ambrosinus ... pr[a]efectus summo labore opus concinnauit ... cum indice memorabilium, nec non uariaru[m] linguaru[m] locupletissimo ... ; sumptibus M Antonij Berni[a]e bibliopol[a]e Bononiensis.

Bellerophon slaying the Chimera; representing the defeat of heresy (Protestantism) in Belgium by Ferdinand of Spain. Etching by T. van Thulden, c. 1640, after P.P. Rubens, 1635.

Aesculapius, transformed into a dragon, embarks from Epidaurus on to a ship bound for Rome following the request from the Roman ambassadors that he stop the plague in Rome. Engraving attributed to Briot, 16--.

Dragons

Images from the collections

Images referencing Dragons

Works from the collections

Sketch of a dragon.

A camel surrounded by various named animals, flowers and insects, including a giraffe and flying dragon. Engraving by D. Loggan, 1663, after W. Hollar.

Vlyssis Aldrovandi patricii Bononiensis Serpentum, et draconu[m] historiae libri duo / Bartholomaeus Ambrosinus ... pr[a]efectus summo labore opus concinnauit ... cum indice memorabilium, nec non uariaru[m] linguaru[m] locupletissimo ... ; sumptibus M Antonij Berni[a]e bibliopol[a]e Bononiensis.

Bellerophon slaying the Chimera; representing the defeat of heresy (Protestantism) in Belgium by Ferdinand of Spain. Etching by T. van Thulden, c. 1640, after P.P. Rubens, 1635.

Aesculapius, transformed into a dragon, embarks from Epidaurus on to a ship bound for Rome following the request from the Roman ambassadors that he stop the plague in Rome. Engraving attributed to Briot, 16--.

Related topics