This lectures looks at the 12th century prophetess and visionary Hildegard of Bingen, through the concept of voice. By centring voice, both in the physical and the metaphorical sense of the word, the lecture doesn't focus on a specific work or event from Hildegard's life. Rather, it considers how Hildegard - in everything she did - understood and used her voice as a form of expression that could lead to earthly and spiritual liberation.
Hildegard of Bingen: Mystic, Artist, Composer, Pioneer | Zoom lecture with the London Drawing Group
Hildegard of Bingen: Mystic, Artist, Composer, Pioneer | Zoom lecture with the London Drawing Group
In the Medieval world, as in the modern one, abortion and contraception were a part of life. The fact that abortions were performed, and the methods used to perform them, are evident in legal, religious, and medical documents, both textual and visual. Those who administered them, as well as those who underwent them, came from all walks of life, and in either case, did so with significant risk. Tracing the practice of Medieval abortions is difficult, and the evidence is not always forthcoming. But finding it allows us to trace silent networks of solidarity, agency, and care.