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Storia Dell'alchimia

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Storia Dell'alchimia Salvatore Califano Storia dell’alchimia Misticismo ed esoterismo all’origine della chimica moderna II edizione rivista e ampliata FIRENZE PRESUNIVERSITYS Libere carte – 4 – Libere carte – 4 – Storia dell’alchimia : misticismo ed esoterismo all’origine della chimica moderna : II edizione rivista e ampliata / Salvatore Califano. – Firenze : Firenze University Press, 2016. (Libere carte ; 4) http://digital.casalini.it/9788866559993 ISBN 978-88-6655-998-6 (print) Salvatore Califano ISBN 978-88-6655-999-3 (online) Progetto grafico di Alberto Pizarro Fernández, Pagina Maestra snc Storia dell’alchimia Misticismo ed esoterismo all’origine della chimica moderna ii edizione rivista e ampliata Certificazione scientifica delle Opere Tutti i volumi pubblicati sono soggetti ad un processo di referaggio esterno di cui sono responsabili il Consiglio editoriale della FUP e i Consigli scientifici delle singole collane. Le opere pubblicate nel catalogo della FUP sono valutate e approvate dal Consiglio editoriale della casa editrice. Per una descrizione più analitica del processo di referaggio si rimanda ai documenti ufficiali pubblicati sul catalogo on-line della casa editrice (www.fupress.com). Consiglio editoriale Firenze University Press G. Nigro (Coordinatore), M.T. Bartoli, M. Boddi, R. Casalbuoni, C. Ciappei, R. Del Punta, A. Dolfi, V. Fargion, S. Ferrone, M. Garzaniti, P. Guarnieri, A. Mariani, M. Marini, A. Novelli, M.C. Torricelli, M. Verga, A. Zorzi. © 2016 Firenze University Press Università degli Studi di Firenze FIRENZE UNIVERSITY PRESS Firenze University Press via Cittadella, 7, 50144 Firenze, Italy 2016 www.fupress.com Printed in Italy Storia dell’alchimia : misticismo ed esoterismo all’origine della chimica moderna : II edizione rivista e ampliata / Salvatore Califano. – Firenze : Firenze University Press, 2016. (Libere carte ; 4) http://digital.casalini.it/9788866559993 ISBN 978-88-6655-998-6 (print) Salvatore Califano ISBN 978-88-6655-999-3 (online) Progetto grafico di Alberto Pizarro Fernández, Pagina Maestra snc Storia dell’alchimia Misticismo ed esoterismo all’origine della chimica moderna ii edizione rivista e ampliata Certificazione scientifica delle Opere Tutti i volumi pubblicati sono soggetti ad un processo di referaggio esterno di cui sono responsabili il Consiglio editoriale della FUP e i Consigli scientifici delle singole collane. Le opere pubblicate nel catalogo della FUP sono valutate e approvate dal Consiglio editoriale della casa editrice. Per una descrizione più analitica del processo di referaggio si rimanda ai documenti ufficiali pubblicati sul catalogo on-line della casa editrice (www.fupress.com). Consiglio editoriale Firenze University Press G. Nigro (Coordinatore), M.T. Bartoli, M. Boddi, R. Casalbuoni, C. Ciappei, R. Del Punta, A. Dolfi, V. Fargion, S. Ferrone, M. Garzaniti, P. Guarnieri, A. Mariani, M. Marini, A. Novelli, M.C. Torricelli, M. Verga, A. Zorzi. © 2016 Firenze University Press Università degli Studi di Firenze FIRENZE UNIVERSITY PRESS Firenze University Press via Cittadella, 7, 50144 Firenze, Italy 2016 www.fupress.com Printed in Italy Dedico questo libro ai miei due figli, Andrea, professore alla Columbia University di New York, e Francesco, professore di struttura della materia all’Università di Pisa Dedico questo libro ai miei due figli, Andrea, professore alla Columbia University di New York, e Francesco, professore di struttura della materia all’Università di Pisa VIII STORIA DELLA CHIMICA CAPITOLO 12 SOMMARIO PARACELSO E LA IATROCHIMICA 95 CAPITOLO 13 DA VAN HELMONT A BOYLE 103 CAPITOLO 14 ISAAC NEWTON ALCHIMISTA E DIRETTORE DELLA ZECCA 123 CAPITOLO 15 DA GASSENDI A CARTESIO 131 INTRODUZIONE IX CAPITOLO 16 CAPITOLO I ESOTERISMO E STREGONERIA NEL SEICENTO 137 L’ALCHIMIA EGIZIANA 1 CAPITOLO 17 CAPITOLO 2 L’ALCHIMIA ALLA CORTE DI ELISABETTA I TUDOR 145 L’ALCHIMIA ALESSANDRINA E PALEOCRISTIANA 3 CAPITOLO 18 CAPITOLO 3 L’ALCHIMIA IN EUROPA CENTRALE 153 L’ALCHIMIA CINESE 7 CAPITOLO 19 CAPITOLO 4 L’ALCHIMIA IN AMERICA 157 LO STUDIO DELLA NATURA NEL MONDO GRECO 13 BIBLIOGRAFIA 167 CAPITOLO 5 L’ALCHIMIA NEL MONDO ISLAMICO 25 CAPITOLO 6 LA TRADUZIONE DELL’ALCHIMIA CLASSICA 33 CAPITOLO 7 I PRIMI VERI LABORATORI DI ALCHIMIA 39 CAPITOLO 8 UMANISTI ED ENCICLOPEDISTI 49 CAPITOLO 9 I PRIMI LIBRI EUROPEI DI TECNICA 67 CAPITOLO 10 L’ALCHIMIA NELL’ALTO MEDIOEVO 71 CAPITOLO 11 L’ALCHIMIA NEL RINASCIMENTO ITALIANO 85 VIII STORIA DELLA CHIMICA CAPITOLO 12 SOMMARIO PARACELSO E LA IATROCHIMICA 95 CAPITOLO 13 DA VAN HELMONT A BOYLE 103 CAPITOLO 14 ISAAC NEWTON ALCHIMISTA E DIRETTORE DELLA ZECCA 123 CAPITOLO 15 DA GASSENDI A CARTESIO 131 INTRODUZIONE IX CAPITOLO 16 CAPITOLO I ESOTERISMO E STREGONERIA NEL SEICENTO 137 L’ALCHIMIA EGIZIANA 1 CAPITOLO 17 CAPITOLO 2 L’ALCHIMIA ALLA CORTE DI ELISABETTA I TUDOR 145 L’ALCHIMIA ALESSANDRINA E PALEOCRISTIANA 3 CAPITOLO 18 CAPITOLO 3 L’ALCHIMIA IN EUROPA CENTRALE 153 L’ALCHIMIA CINESE 7 CAPITOLO 19 CAPITOLO 4 L’ALCHIMIA IN AMERICA 157 LO STUDIO DELLA NATURA NEL MONDO GRECO 13 BIBLIOGRAFIA 167 CAPITOLO 5 L’ALCHIMIA NEL MONDO ISLAMICO 25 CAPITOLO 6 LA TRADUZIONE DELL’ALCHIMIA CLASSICA 33 CAPITOLO 7 I PRIMI VERI LABORATORI DI ALCHIMIA 39 CAPITOLO 8 UMANISTI ED ENCICLOPEDISTI 49 CAPITOLO 9 I PRIMI LIBRI EUROPEI DI TECNICA 67 CAPITOLO 10 L’ALCHIMIA NELL’ALTO MEDIOEVO 71 CAPITOLO 11 L’ALCHIMIA NEL RINASCIMENTO ITALIANO 85 X STORIA DELLA CHIMICA sformazione ha permesso però di sviluppare raccolte di conoscenze em- INTRODUZIONE piriche sia di chimica sia di medicina e farmacia (alchimia sperimentale) che hanno aperto la strada alla scienza moderna (Thorndyke 1923-1958). L’alchimia, antica progenitrice della chimica, è nata prima che il metodo scientifico divenisse parte integrante delle moderne teorie chimiche. Sin dall’inizio della storia dell’umanità i protagonisti del suo sviluppo hanno cercato di scoprire e ricostruire in laboratorio i meccanismi nascosti con cui la natura realizzava lo sviluppo di piante e animali, riproducendosi da millenni sempre eguale a se stessa, secondo regole ben precise e costan- ti che sfuggivano all’umana comprensione. I tentativi d’interpretazione dei processi che accadevano nel mondo fisico erano inevitabilmente me- scolati e confusi con tanti altri aspetti diversi dello scibile umano, dallo studio del comportamento e del movimento degli astri e dei pianeti, al- la cure delle ferite e delle malattie, a concezioni mistiche e religiose che affidavano il futuro a divinità arcane, al trattamento dei metalli, perfino a miti che richiamavano le gesta dei tanti personaggi che popolavano le storie tramandate da generazioni. Le procedure messe a punto da questi primi sperimentatori servivano a interrogare una natura spesso ostile e violenta, agitata da fenomeni incomprensibili come terremoti, alluvioni e tempeste. I nomi fantastici assegnati ai composti utilizzati da questi pro- Figura 1 – Il laboratorio dell’alchimista, illustrazione di Hans Vredeman de Vries, to-chimici, anziché richiamare con termini chiari le proprietà e il com- contenuta nell’Amphitheatrum sapientiae aeternae di Heinrich Khunrath. portamento della materia, si rifacevano in genere a personaggi mitici o a immagini fantasiose, nascondendo le proprietà dei composti dietro termi- Per molti lettori di libri di storia della scienza la parola ‘alchimia’ richia- ni esotici, giunti addirittura fino ai giorni nostri per creare un’atmosfera ma alla mente un oscuro laboratorio medievale, pieno di storte, alambicchi di mistero e d’incantesimo. e crogiuoli in cui un eccentrico personaggio, vestito di una lunga tonaca L’impianto generale dell’alchimia, che prendeva il nome di ‘Gran- nera, qualcosa d’intermedio tra il mago e lo stregone, cerca con ostinazio- de Opera’ o Opus alchemico, richiedeva che tutti gli enti fisici subissero ne di scoprire la Pietra Filosofale per impossessarsi dell’elisir di lunga vita processi di trasformazione dallo stato primitivo a uno stato di perfezio- e per realizzare il sogno della trasmutazione dei metalli in oro (fig. 1). Il ne finale nel quale la materia prima moriva Nigredo( ), poi era ricomposta personaggio tipico dell’alchimista medievale è stato magnificamente trat- (Albedo) e infine ricostruita Rubedo( ). Questi tre stadi delle trasmutazioni teggiato nel famoso libro di Marguerite Yourcenar L’opera al nero (1968), materiali corrispondevano ai tre colori, nero, bianco e rosso, e alle tre divi- le cui vicende ruotano attorno alla figura di Zenone, filosofo, scienziato e sioni dell’essere, corpo, spirito e anima. In stadi successivi dello sviluppo alchimista, che l’autrice immagina essere nato in Belgio nel XVI secolo. dell’alchimia comparve anche la Citrinitas, in greco xanthosis, una specie di Dal libro è stato tratto nel 1988 un film diretto da André Delvaux con lo distillazione purificatrice, corrispondente al colore giallo che nel linguag- stesso titolo, con l’attore Gian Maria Volonté nel ruolo di Zenone. Altret- gio alchemico rappresentava la trasformazione dell’argento in oro puro. tanto orientato a disegnare il personaggio dell’alchimista è il romanzo La L’evoluzione dell’alchimia ha visto quindi sovrapporsi nei secoli un co- Recherche de l’Absolu, terzo volume degli studi di costume della Comédie acervo di concetti e credenze che passavano dal misticismo alla stregoneria humaine di Honoré de Balzac (Balzac 1842), che narra le vicende di Bal- alle pratiche esoteriche (alchimia mistica). Questo lungo processo di tra- thazar Claës, un agiato borghese di Douai, una cittadina nel nord della X STORIA DELLA CHIMICA sformazione ha permesso però di sviluppare
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