GARDEN OF POISONS Series II: Belladonna (Deadly Nightshade)

The first in a new collection of my Poison Garden series - exploring plants with poisonous properties, often with magical uses.

Belladonna has a long use as a poison, gaining it's epithet meaning 'beautiful' when used as an eye tincture (dilating the pupils) by ladies in Venetian courts.

In Roman times it was commonly used as a biological weapon, to contaminate the food resources of the enemy, causing a deep comatose-like sleep, as well as paralysis.

In witchcraft, Belladonna is one of the key ingredients in flying ointments, and was believed to be a plant belonging to the Devil - with ingestion deserving just punishments.

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Fabric sculpture with wired stems, handpainted faces, leaves and berries. Hand felted wool hair and textured varnished finish. Hangs on a loop.

SIZE: 10x19"

Postage: 2nd Class Signed For UK
International Signed For, Worldwide

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Apr 2025