Art in Medicine: Brigid - Goddess & Saint

The Coming of Bride 

Tempera on canvas by John Duncan 

Courtesy of art.uk 

1917 

The February 2024 Art In Medicine topic is about Brigid: Goddess & Saint of Ireland.

Lucinda Bennett, the Medical Librarian at Ascension St Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD,  publishes a regular series on Art in Medicine and The Health Humanities.    

It's only 1-2 pages with gorgeous images, so it won't take you long to read ... and just might enrich your life.   

This month, Lucinda is featuring Brigid, Goddess & Saint of Ireland.

World religion is a fascinating subject as it provides such a

unique window into the ways in which humanity internalizes

archetypes and symbols into understandable concepts.

Every faith has its own mythologies explaining why the

earth exits, dedicating legends to natural phenomena and

then exchanging those ideas over centuries. The blending

of concepts both artistic and philosophical is known as

syncretism. Among the most respected female figures in

Irish mythology is Brigid, a perfect example of this cultural

exchange. As it so happens, February 1st is her feast day,

so who better to study this month than this charismatic

patroness of healers and poets?

Read more ...

 

Reprinted with the generous permission of Ms. Bennett.