De materia medica: Where art and scientific principles come together

Abstract

This essay interprets and analyses the painting called “Dioscorides describing the mandrake”, which is currently located in a permanent exhibition at Wellcome Collection in London, UK. The painting features Pedanius Dioscorides, a Greek botanist and pharmacologist who practiced in the Roman Empire during the rule of Nero. Dioscorides is known for his influential De Materia Medica, a five-volume book on medicinal uses of various plants and herbs. What makes this script special and influential is that it included a vast amount of herbs, detailed descriptions, scientific observations, as well as a scientific classification and order. Upon reflection on this piece of art, I am reminded of the medical realm that we are gradually becoming a part of as medical students. There is immense passion, knowledge and intelligence in how medicine became modern medicine today. For me, the painting on Dioscorides’ De Materia Medica is a compelling visual representation of centuries - long endeavor.