Taking its name from an 18th-century Nepali painting, this exhibition showcased material from Wellcome’s historical collections: Sanskrit, Persian and Tibetan manuscripts, vibrant gouache paintings, erotic manuals and animal-shaped surgical tools.
Ayurvedic Man: Encounters with Indian medicine exhibition, Michael Bowles. Source: Wellcome Collection. Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).
Thought-provoking and visually gorgeous
Ayurveda or ‘the knowledge of long life’ is a centuries-old but ever-evolving set of medical practices from South Asia, which continues today to be transformed by biomedical and cultural exchanges. But critical questions remain: who owns medical heritage, and what is the contemporary relevance of collections built from colonial encounters?
Featuring new commissions from artist Ranjit Kandalgaonkar and filmmaker Nilanjan Bhattacharya, ‘Ayurvedic Man’ invited visitors to explore and question our collections.
Exhibition highlights
David Bishop/Wellcome Collection.
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These four wooden votives from 1898 are an offering in anthropomorphic form to Sitala, the Hindu Goddess of the Smallpox.
Ranjit Kandalgaonkar, Michael Bowles. © Wellcome Collection. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
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The imagery behind this commission by Ranjit Kandalgaonkar comes mainly from two collections: photographs and documents from Wellcome’s collections, and satirical cartoons from Pickings from the Hindi Punch, a local monthly magazine held at the Asiatic Library in Mumbai.
David Bishop/Wellcome Collection.
David Bishop/Wellcome Collection.
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These steel surgical tools are a modern reimagining of ancient instruments. It is thought that they were produced in India during the British administration, at a time when there was a revival of interest in Indian surgery among European medics.
David Bishop/Wellcome Collection.
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Wrestling in modern India is a synthesis of two older traditions: the Persian form of the art brought into South Asia by the Mughals, and an indigenous Hindu form that dates back to at least the 11th century.
Wrestling takes place in akharas (gymnasia). Akharas function like health spas, creating an environment of peace and tranquillity, where many go to relax or treat minor ailments.
Ayurvedic Man: Encounters with Indian medicine exhibition, Michael Bowles. Source: Wellcome Collection. Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).
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This unique 18th-century Nepali illustrated anatomical painting provides a visual interpretation of the organs and vessels of the male body according to classical Ayurveda. Its trail of provenance from Nepal via India to the Wellcome Library through an art dealer points to the long-standing European fascination with what is now often labelled as ‘alternative medicine’.
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We chose eight ingredients used in Ayurvedic medicine and other medical traditions for their healing properties. The iPads displayed a selection of recipes donated from local community groups and our visitors, which were gathered into a digital recipe book.