'Aurora Consurgens'

'Aurora Consurgens'
A Black angel in "Aurora Consurgens"

Saint Dominic's experience drinking the Virgin Mary's breast milk (shown below) made its way into alchemical illustrated manuscripts like the Aurora Consurgens ("Dawn Rising"), from the 1420's. It is one of the most unusual works I have come across.

Once attributed to Thomas Aquinas, now Aurora Consurgens is said to be by a "Pseudo-Aquinas," but the text is a Latin translation of a Muslim alchemy text. Such manuscripts were miniatures in watercolor on parchment codex, produced for rich patrons who themselves liked to dabble in alchemy. Make of it what you will, but I like that there is a Black angel and a red Virgin Mary.

Aurora-Consurgens

The image below shows what appears to be a woman giving birth, or menstruating, surrounded by the Zodiac signs. The image below that shows the Sun and Moon fighting with lances - is this the first image ever of pubic hair?

Aurora-Consurgens-Zodiac
Aurora-Consurgens-Sun-and-Moon

As for Saint Dominic, other traditions grew up around him instead, such as assigning him the origin of the Rosary (literally "rose garden"), after an apparition by the Virgin Mary. Religious scholars reject such fanciful ideas...