All of the above amazing engravings comes from the alchemical emblemata work, 'Hermetico-Spagyrisches Lustgärtlein'. Click the images for full sized versions.
“The one hundred and sixty hermetick emblems [are] attributed to the heroes of alchemy, historical and mythical, famous and anonymous".
The above 'draco' images come from the 'Lambspring book' (an earlier hand painted set) - I think the engravings here are a reissue by the same publisher Lucas Jennis; as the 'Lambspring book' was released in the same year of publication as 'Dyas Chymica Tripartita', 1625: from where these engravings derive.
I'm afraid I don't remember in which of the 7 works contained in 'Dyas Chymica Tripartita' (compiled by Johann Grasshoff ) these illustrations are found. The full book is online at Herzog August Bibliothek, Wolfenbüttel. Wonderfully obscure.
Between this post and the last entry, more than half of the engravings in the 250+ page book have been uploaded. A few of the remaining illustrations contain symbology more obviously occult in nature.
Previously: alchemy, emblemata.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
analytics
Books~~Illustrations~~Science~~History~~Visual Materia Obscura~~Eclectic Bookart.
Contact | Who?
Recommended Blogs
Blog Archives
Resource Sites
- digital nz
- library of congress
- british library
- library france
- library holland
- library spain
- library portugal
- european library
- library australia
- collections canada
- digital poland
- nypl digital
- botanicus digital
- v&a collections
- britmuseum prints
- smithsonian search
- smithsonian galaxy
- f.a.m.s.i.
- casglu'r tlysau
- rumsey collection
- manuscript catalogue
- digital scriptorium
- cesg manuscripts
- swiss manuscripts
- pecia mss blog
- digital book index
- rare book room
- online exhibitions
- primary sources
- worldcat search
- library directory
- digital librarian
- intute resources
- warburg institute
- lexilogos links
- digiwiki links
- museum blogs
- book arts web
- culture archive
- conservation articles
- art-history timeline
- visual arts
- arts journal
- artcyclopedia
- ukiyo-e
- calligraphy megapage
- penmanship
- woodblock
- coconino
- alchemy website
- health hist. img-banks
- health history links
- history network
- new advent
5 comments :
A little more on images 1-9 here & 1-3 below: these were previously printed in the Opus medico-chymicum of Johann Daniel Mylius, which was published by Lucas Jennis in Frankfurt in 1618. They are taken from a section of this 3000-page opus entitled Basilica philosophica—Klossowski de Rola attributes the engravings therein to Merian. The 160 ‘Seals of the Philosophers’ printed in the third book of the Basilica philosophica were apparently ‘composed and freely adapted from manuscript sources, as well as from previously engraved work.’
Image #12 above is from the title page of Michael Maier’s Tripus aureus, mentioned in my note below, & #13 is another illustration from the ‘Twelve Keys’ section of this book.
Image #14 is an engraving by one Balthazar Schwan, previously published in Mylius’s 1622 book ‘Philosophia reformata.’
Thanks very much for the background misteraitch.
You mentioned the '1-stop shop for alchemy' which reminds me that part of the confusion I laboured under looking around online for some more info. is due to Jennis releasing another alchemy compendium book in 1625 which also included a couple of the same 'tractus' as here.
I *think* it was called 'Musaeum Hermeticum' or similar. There was mention at Levity and also that french site (that I call 'hellboy' - just because it is outrageous to navigate around).
The writing in the illustration on the top-left from image no. 1 seems to be the Hebrew tetragramatton, YHVH.
Yeah, I think it's also in the 2nd image (click to enlarge).
The tetragrammaton is closely entwined with Kabbalistic and hermetic traditions it seems.
You're right, I missed that one.
Post a Comment
Comments are all moderated so don't waste your time spamming: they will never show up.
If you include ANY links that aren't pertinent to the blog post or discussion they will be deleted and a rash will break out in your underwear.
Also: please play the ball and not the person.
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.