A beautiful marriage of art and history; our clients Essential Living tasked us with producing a mural to breathe life into the historic buildings of Puma Court, just off Commercial St, honouring the location’s rich history which dates back hundreds of years.
Details
Artist:
Claire Ward-Thornton
Location:
East London
Year:
2025
Client:
Essential Living
Tagged:
Inspired by Nicholas Culpeper, who lived on the site of Puma Court in the 1600s, the mural is a tribute his revolutionary medical herbalism. We selected Claire Ward-Thornton of Art Hoppers as the perfect artist for this commission, whose work as a scenic mural painter and with an art and mental health charity perfectly aligned with the values of the project.
The inspiration: Nicholas Culpeper
Nicholas Culpeper (1616 – 1654) was a pioneering herbalist and medical practitioner who worked to make medicine more accessible to ordinary people. Raised in the Sussex countryside by his grandfather, a Puritan minister, Culpeper developed a love for nature, astronomy, and healing herbs at an early age.
Culpeper lived and worked in Red Lion House on what is now Commercial Street, roughly where Puma Court stands today. He devoted his life to medicine, translating medical texts from Latin to English so more people could understand them. In 1652 he published a book, known as ‘The Complete Herbal’ which is still in print to this day. The book explores the use of botanicals and herbs, and even astrology, in treatment of diseases.
The mural
Inspired by Culpeper’s writings, artist Claire Ward-Thornton has taken many symbolic elements from his life and work, blending cosmology, astrology and botany to create a beautiful artwork that tells the unique story of the area.
The design features the medicinal plant St. John’s Wort (top right). This bright yellow flowering herb has been used for centuries to treat wounds, burns, depression, and anxiety. Its radiating yellow stamens resemble the sun’s rays, making it a symbol of solar energy and healing light. In 17th-century England, St. John’s Wort was hung over doorways alongside other protective plants to ward off evil spirits.
The sleeping red lion (bottom right) is a reference to Red Lion House, where Culpeper lived. It stands as a peaceful reminder of his legacy. The ring of stars (right) and compass (left) represent Culpeper’s use of astrology to guide his medical approach.
About the artist
Claire Ward-Thornton is a London based illustrator and print designer. She is an experienced scenic painter and has worked to commission on various murals. Claire managed an arts and mental health charity for a period of six years bringing music and theatre to hospitals and day centres. She is the co-founder of art education organisation Art Hoppers, and her design label ‘CWT’ presents fabrics and a collection of handmade products for retail.
