The interior of a chemical laboratory with six people working in it (above), a table of symbols (below). Coloured line engraving after L.-J. Goussier.

Doctrine of signatures: (above) a plant (fennel) with seed-pods resembling the crest of a bird, and (below) a bird's head. Coloured ink drawing by C. Etheridge, 1906, after G.B. Della Porta.

Circe sits with books and wand; to right, men transformed into animals. Etching by G.B. Castiglione, 165-.

A design for a pharmacy label with snakes, an alligator, symbols and urns. Pen drawing.

A witch at her cauldron surrounded by monsters. Etching by Jan van de Velde II, 1626.

Four scenes all involving water: trial by water, people using divination rods, and different types of rods. Engraving.

A Turkish oracle; the torture wheel of Pope Pius VI. Engraving.

The green outline of a condom inside which the male symbol points upwards representing the man's penis next to the symbol for bisexuality; a safe-sex and AIDS prevention advertisement by the RFSU, Norwegian Red Cross, The Norwegian Confederation of Sports and the Norwegian AIDS Association. Colour lithograph, ca. 1995.

A shaman banging a drum and dancing invoke spirits to cure a sick man. Engraving by S. Davenport.

Doctrine of signatures: (above) a plant with spots resembling those of a fish, and (below) a fish. Coloured ink drawing by C. Etheridge, 1906, after G.B. Della Porta.

Exeat signs of the Ding army. Four carved and painted signs.

1 print : lithograph, printed in red, blue and black on white ; sheet 56.9 x 42 cm

Two personified male and female symbols, the male wearing a condom with a rope bearing the label 'de sexo seguro'; a safe-sex and AIDS prevention advertisement by Fondo de Población de las Naciones Unidas and Centro Nacional de Educacion para la salud Ministerio de Salud Publica, Cuba. Colour lithograph, ca. 1996.

1 print : lithograph, printed in colours ; sheet 48 x 68 cm

Male and female symbols engaged in a variety of unsafe and safe activities; an AIDS prevention advertisement by the Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo. Colour lithograph, 1987.

1 print : lithograph, printed in colours ; sheet 58.9 x 42 cm

The green outline of a condom inside which the male symbol points upwards representing the man's penis next to the symbol for bi-sexuality; with running figure of Cupid and the words AIDS, SIDA, HIV within the condom; a safe-sex and AIDS prevention advertisement by the RFSU, Norwegian Red Cross, The Norwegian Confederation of Sports and the Norwegian AIDS Association. Colour lithograph, ca. 1995.

1 print : lithograph, printed in colours ; sheet 59.9 x 42 cm

Doctrine of signatures: (above) a plant (arum) with seed-pods resembling the horn of a unicorn, and (below) a unicorn's head. Coloured ink drawing by C. Etheridge, 1906, after G.B. Della Porta.

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.

Signs and symbols

Images from the collections

Images referencing Signs and symbols

Works from the collections

Male and female symbols engaged in a variety of unsafe and safe activities; an AIDS prevention advertisement by the Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo. Colour lithograph, 1987.

Doctrine of signatures: (above) a plant (arum) with seed-pods resembling the horn of a unicorn, and (below) a unicorn's head. Coloured ink drawing by C. Etheridge, 1906, after G.B. Della Porta.

Signs and symbols

Images from the collections

Images referencing Signs and symbols

Works from the collections

Male and female symbols engaged in a variety of unsafe and safe activities; an AIDS prevention advertisement by the Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo. Colour lithograph, 1987.

Doctrine of signatures: (above) a plant (arum) with seed-pods resembling the horn of a unicorn, and (below) a unicorn's head. Coloured ink drawing by C. Etheridge, 1906, after G.B. Della Porta.

Related topics