Notker Physicus

Notker Physicus (c. 900 – 12 November 975) was a Benedictine monk at the Abbey of Saint Gall, active as a physician, painter, composer and poet. He is best known for his medical prowess, and may have been physician to the Holy Roman Emperors Otto I and Otto II. His paintings, now lost, were well regarded in his time, and two of his compositions survive, an office and hymn. Aside from physicus (lit. 'physician'), or the equivalent medicus, he was also nicknamed piperis granum (lit. 'pepper grain') on account of his monastic dedication. He is sometimes called Notker II, living after St.