Medieval Urine Chart

A...what? Yes. In medieval times the physicians used to use these urine charts as references. They would use a patient's urine sample to determine their sickness by which of the four "humours" the color fell under. The choices were choleric, melancholic, sanguine and phlegmatic. The physician would inspect the urine in great detail...sniffing it, staring at it, and yes...sometimes tasting it.

Which brings me to the story of my dear friend Connie, who is a medieval physician reenactor, and does educational programs at faires and schools. She brings small vials of colored water and apple juice, and tells them about the history of medicine...treating the "samples" as a physician would..sniffing, dipping a finger in and tasting. Gross, I know, but the kids? LOVE IT. It helps them learn history like nothing else would.

A few years ago I created a simple urine chart on parchment paper for her to use, but from years of sitting out in the sun, having tankards of water nearby at faires, etc...it was looking pretty beat. So she asked me to make her a new one on cloth, which hopefully will be more durable. The result was this Urine Chart on cotton fabric. The center image is taken from Death and the Physician, an engraving by Hans Lutzelburger, c.1538. The rest of the chart was meticulously recreated from one I found online. Once the design was painted on with acrylics (yeah, acrylics on fabric...I had to use what I had), I took a spray bottle with a mixture of tea, strained coffee grounds, and water, and sprayed the white cotton to appear aged and parchment-like.