Look Ma, No Hands!
An example of body horror in the Bible
The Nativity, about 1420–1430, Master of the Harvard Hannibal. Tempera, gold paint, gold leaf, and silver paint, 7 1/16 × 5 1/8 in. Getty Museum, Ms. 19 (86.ML.481), fol. 38v
Body Content
You may know Jesus, Mary, and Joseph…
But do you know Salome, the Virgin Mary’s midwife?
The Nativity (detail), about 1420–1430, Master of the Harvard Hannibal. Tempera, gold paint, gold leaf, and silver paint, 7 1/16 × 5 1/8 in. Getty Museum, Ms. 19 (86.ML.481), fol. 38v
Here she is, standing to the left of Mary, looking down at the baby Jesus.
According to biblical apocrypha, Salome didn’t quite believe that Mary’s pregnancy was achieved through the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Nativity (detail), about 1420, Spitz Master. Tempera colors, gold, and ink, 7 15/16 × 5 7/8 in. Getty Museum, Ms. 57 (94.ML.26), fol. 84
When Salome attempts to test her theory by examining Mary, her hands shrivel up and fall off. Here she is, in another depiction of the Nativity, minus two important body parts.
Talk about an act of God, right?
When Jesus is born, Salome recognizes him as the Messiah and son of God. It’s a pretty startling example of body horror in the Bible, captured in medieval manuscripts of the 15th century.
Salome wasn’t commonly seen in artistic representations of the Nativity. However, medieval artists had agency and their own personalities, and to some, the moral of Salome’s story—have faith in God, or else—resonated enough to merit inclusion.
Don’t worry too much about Salome. She gets her hands back once she realizes the error of her ways. Look closely at the picture above, and you’ll see an angel returning her missing appendages.
Show of hands: who learned something new today?
For more spooky content, head to Getty’s Instagram to watch Macabre Minute with Mel.
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