This is the second in my Alchemy of Poisonous herbs series. It depicts Monkshood (Aconitum apellum) also known as ‘The Queen of Poisons’. It is a highly toxic herb, just touching it can make you sleepy and yet it is still used in herbal medicine. It has beautiful deep purple blue flowers on a tall spike which makes it a popular choice as a herbaceous border plant and in many florist’s bouquets. I don’t think people realise what it is they are dealing with and perhaps if they did, they would give it a very wide berth. This herb is also known as Wolfsbane, Mousebane and Badgerbane and was historically used to kill the aforementioned animals. When researching its history and symbolism I discovered its relation to the goddess Hecate the Greek goddess of magic. It was said that Monkshood grew from the drops of saliva drooled by the three-headed dog Cerberus who guards the gate to the Underworld. Yikes! Also said to be protective and ward off evil spirits, negative energies, for space clearing and to increase psychic intuition.
The moth whose caterpillars feed off Monkshood is the Peaseblossom moth (Periphanes delphinii). Surprisingly pretty, I like the dusty pink wing colours in combination with the deep purple of the Monkshood flowers. I’ve used the caterpillars to create the lace on the sleeve of Hecate dropping her poison on some unsuspecting victim. She has a key on her wrist as she is the goddess of crossroads and gateways into other worlds. If you look closely at the flowers of Monkshood, they appear to contain a tiny portal deep inside, a gateway with two pillars, surely the entrance to another liminal world. I don’t suggest walking through it though, unless you don’t want to come back.
Open edition unframe giclee prints of this painting are available in the shop along with the others in the series.
Have a look at the other paintings in the series:Atropos and the Hand of Fate and The Queen of Poisons – Monkshood and Foxgloves – Touched in the Heart
