Orginal illustration based upon historical examples.
 
A noted dangerous herb, for its potential to cause hallucination and death, (the “hen” part of the name deriving from an old word for death); henbane was widely used in Medieval recipes, and was also thought to remove powers from a Witch, as well as call up demons and the dead. The use of henbane with witchcraft was noted by Albertus Magnus in the 13th century, whereupon it became inseparable with the practice of malefic magic; cited as being used in potions, and to conjure weather and spirits.

During a Witchtrial in 1538, the accused Witch “confessed” to sexually arousing a man with the use of henbane seeds, which also could be used to bind two lovers together, or in another instance noted by the Inquisition, drive them apart whilst proclaiming : "Here I sow wild seed, and the devil advised that they would hate and avoid each other until these seeds had been separated".

Handcast from handmade mold, taken from 18th and 19th century medicine bottles. Mounted on antique salvaged wood.