Day 71: Mary Toft

 

Have you ever heard of the curious case of Mary Toft? It was an 18th century medical hoax. There are numerous letters, books, and leaflets from the time about the events that transpired. Here's the thick and thin of the story of Mary Toft.

Despite having had a miscarriage, Mary Toft still looked quite pregnant. Within a few weeks time, she started giving birth to animal parts, and deformed animals, and eventually gave birth to several dead baby rabbits. Doctors, anatomists, and man-midwives came from far to see what was going on, and even the King of England and Wales got involved. It was a big deal. There's more to it, and the whole story is absolutely bizarre.

This whole story and hoax caught my curiosity and inspired me to do a couple of art works based on it. I'd like to do an art doll, a garment, and some embroideries about this strange series of events from the 18th century. Nothing inspires me quite like odd histories, so this took the cake for the day. Thus, I began with a few sketches of rabbits and played around with the idea of Mary Toft and her giving birth to rabbits. I have a few ideas... but for now... It starts with sketches.