Revulsion Collection

Ms Fr 226 The Use of Leeches, from The Decameron
CHT176051 Ms Fr 226 The Use of Leeches, from The Decameron, by Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-75) (vellum) by French School, (15th century); Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris

Baby Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) kissing a tabby kitten

A Most Infernal Bad Egg, print made by H Pyall, 1827 (hand-coloured engraving)
740535 A Most Infernal Bad Egg, print made by H Pyall, 1827 (hand-coloured engraving) by Egerton, M. (fl.1824-27) (after); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; English, out of copyright

The Four of Cups, facsimile of a tarot card from the Visconti deck
AGD336560 The Four of Cups, facsimile of a tarot card from the Visconti deck, 1441-47 (colour litho) by Bembo, Bonifacio (c.1420-82) (attr.) (after); 17.5x8.7 cm; Private Collection; (add.info)

Dinners Drest in the Neatest Manner, satirical cartoon on culinary hygiene
CHT173795 Dinners Drest in the Neatest Manner, satirical cartoon on culinary hygiene (coloured engraving) by Rowlandson, Thomas (1756-1827); Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris

The Majors Marriage Proposal, 1851 (oil on canvas)
SRM106300 The Majors Marriage Proposal, 1851 (oil on canvas) by Fedotov, Pavel Andreevich (1815-52); 56x76 cm; State Russian Museum, St

The jester and the young woman, 1520 (etching)
3704020 The jester and the young woman, 1520 (etching) by Leyden, Lucas van (c.1494-1533); 10.5x7.4 cm; Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

The scrutiny, or examination of the filth, 1784. Five men, holding their noses and examining chamber pots, with devils in the background on either side. One man is vomiting

The Lady and the Trumpeter (oil on canvas)
BAL234928 The Lady and the Trumpeter (oil on canvas) by Verkolje, Jan (1630-93); Private Collection; Courtesy of Thomas Brod and Patrick Pilkington; Dutch, out of copyright

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Revulsion: A Feast for the Senses and the Soul, or How Disgusting Images Can Delight the Mind Behold the unexpected union of a baby grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) and a tabby kitten in a tender, albeit bizarre, kiss. This scene, while charmingly cute, may evoke a sense for some. Yet, it pales in comparison to the grotesque images found in Boccaccio's The Decameron, such as Ms Fr 226: The Use of Leeches. The 19th-century print, A Most Infernal Bad Egg by H Pyall, adds to our revulsion, with its vivid depiction of a rotten egg spewing forth its fetid contents. The Four of Cups tarot card, with its melancholic figure, may leave us feeling emotionally repulsed. Dinners Drest in the Neatest Manner, a satirical cartoon, exposes the unsanitary conditions of 18th-century dining, causing a visceral reaction. Contrast this with the elegant scene of The Majors Marriage Proposal, where the proposal itself might elicit feelings of revulsion, depending on one's perspective. The jester and the young woman, an etching from 1520, may leave us feeling morally repulsed, as the jester's intentions are unclear. Lastly, The Scrutiny, or Examination of the Filth, a 1784 engraving, invites us to confront our deepest fears and revulsions, forcing us to consider the beauty in the grotesque. Through these images, we explore the complexities of revulsion, discovering that it is not always a negative emotion, but rather a vital component of our emotional and intellectual growth.