This broadside sheet was printed during an epidemic of plague in the German city of Augsburg in the early 1470s. The woodcut depicts Saints Sebastian and Roch (accompanied by an angel), comforting those struck down by the plague. Prayers to the two saints are printed below. The aid of Saint Sebastian, a third-century martyr, was frequently invoked in cases of plague, and the intercession of Saint Roch (d. 1327) was said to be responsible for the end of an outbreak in the city of Constance in 1414. Woodcut print from a broadside sheet showing Saints Sebastian and Roch, published in Augsburg, circa 1473
The Boston Medical Library does not hold copyright on all materials in this collection. For use information, consult Public Services at chm@hms.harvard.edu
Contact host institution for more information.