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Through the Alchemical Looking Glass Through the Alchemical Looking Glass An Interpretation of Stephan Michelspacher’s Cabala: Spiegel der Kunst und Natur, in Alchymia concerning the Tincture of the Alchemists A thesis presented to the Graduate Faculty of Humanities University of Amsterdam In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTERS OF ARTS in RELIGIOUS STUDIES by Alinda van Ackooy August, 2016 0 Table of Contents. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 3 Chapter 1. The Cabala of Stephan Michelspacher .......................................................................... 5 1.1. Stephan Michelspacher and the Cabala ................................................................................. 5 1.2. Christological interpretation of the Cabala ........................................................................... 8 1.3. Paracelsian Influences in the Cabala...................................................................................... 9 1.3.1. The Four Pillars of Medicine ............................................................................................. 9 1.3.2. The Four Elements ........................................................................................................... 11 1.3.3. The Tria Prima of Mercury, Sulphur and Salt ............................................................. 12 1.4. Practical Instructions in the Cabala ..................................................................................... 13 1.5. Conclusion of the First Chapter ............................................................................................. 16 Chapter 2. The First Engraving: 1. Spigel der Kunst und Natur ................................................ 19 2.1. Color Symbolism in Alchemy ................................................................................................. 19 2.2. The Red Blood of the Lion and the White Gluten of the Eagle ......................................... 22 2.3. Prima Materia and Ultima Materia ...................................................................................... 24 2.4. The Diagram of Azoth and Vitriol ......................................................................................... 27 2.5. The Diagram of Four ............................................................................................................... 31 2.6. Via Humida vs. Via Sicca ....................................................................................................... 33 2.7. Alchemical Interpretation of the First Engraving ............................................................... 36 Chapter 3. The Second Engraving: 2. Anfang. Exaltation. .......................................................... 39 3.1. The Fiery and Venomous aspects of the Dragon ................................................................. 39 3.2. The Alphabet of Alchemy ....................................................................................................... 42 3.3. The philosophical Egg ............................................................................................................ 44 3.4. Alchemical interpretation of the Second Engraving .......................................................... 46 Chapter 4. The Third Engraving: 3. Mittel. Coniunction. ............................................................ 49 4.1. The Different Tinctures of the Planets .................................................................................. 49 4.2. In the Bowels of the Mountain .............................................................................................. 51 4.3. The Seven Steps of Transmutation ....................................................................................... 54 1 4.4. Zodiacal Ingredients ............................................................................................................... 55 4.5. Alchemical Interpretation of the Third Engraving ............................................................. 57 Chapter 5. The Fourth Engraving: 4. Endt. Multiplication. ........................................................ 59 5.1. The Alchemical Fountain ........................................................................................................ 59 5.2. The Seven Planets, Again ....................................................................................................... 61 5.3. The Resurrection of the Christ .............................................................................................. 62 5.4. Alchemical Interpretation of the Fourth Engraving ........................................................... 63 Conclusion. .......................................................................................................................................... 65 Bibliography. ....................................................................................................................................... 67 Appendix 1. .......................................................................................................................................... 72 2 . Introduction. The subject of this thesis is the Cabala: Spiegel der Kunst und Natur, in Alchymia (1615), written by Stephan Michelspacher. Due to the richness of its illustrations, the details of the engravings in the Cabala are often discussed in works on the symbolism of alchemical emblems. However, as fascinating and beautiful the Cabala is, the treatise as a whole appears to be a rather undiscussed subject among scholars. Authors such as Stanislas Klossowski de Rola and Johannes Fabricius (1587-1616) have written about the engravings, considering them as representations of practical alchemy, whereas others, like Marie-Louis von Franz (1915-1998) and Urszula Szulakowska, tend to interpret the illustrations from a psychological or Christological point of view. Antoine Faivre, a prominent scholar in the study of Western esotericism, pointed out that “for a period of thirty years, beginning with the end of the sixteenth century, there was a profusion of works whose engravings have as much, if not more, importance than the text.” 1 We can therefore presume that the engravings in the Cabala contain more information than would appear at first glance. The goal of this thesis is two-fold. The thesis aims at presenting evidence that the Cabala is not to be interpreted as a psychological, spiritual or Christological work. As the following chapters will show, the engravings are full of alchemical symbolism, filled with references to alchemical authorities and practical directions. A particular focus of 1 Faivre, Access to Western Esotericism, p.69. 3 attention in our search for answers is the oeuvre of Paracelsus, famous for his works on iatrochemistry (medical alchemy). Paracelsus firmly believed that a universal medicine could be created by performing the right alchemical operations in the right order and with materials that are prepared in the right manner. Carrying out this alchemical transmutation, the Great Work or magnus opus, would eventually lead to the attainment of the Philosophers’ Stone. With this Stone, which is not a regular stone at all, the alchemist was able to transmute inferior metals into silver (argyropoeia) or gold (chyrsopoeia). It has also been named the Elixir of Life, as this Stone was supposedly able to consume all diseases. Secondly, this thesis aims at presenting evidence that Michelspacher intended to write a practical guideline for the alchemical transmutation in the Cabala. A significant correlation between the Cabala of Michelspacher and Paracelsus’ The Treasure of Treasures for Alchemists (1659) exists, assuming that Michelspacher too, has searched for the treasure of treasures, that is the Tincture of the Alchemists. In chapters 2-5 the engravings in the Cabala are examined in detail, interpreted and possible alchemical instructions are set out. The first chapter provides some background information about Michelspacher, the Cabala, Paracelsus and the operations concerned with alchemical transmutation. An English translation of the Cabala, written by Leonhard Thurneisser (1667), is added as appendix for further reading. 4 Chapter 1. The Cabala of Stephan Michelspacher As mentioned before, this thesis holds that the engravings in Michelspacher's Cabala: Spiegel der Kunst und Natur are not to be interpreted from a soteriological perspective, but instead argues that they function as instructions for the alchemical process. A closer look at the text of the Cabala and its engravings shows a correlation between the Michelspacher’s treatise and several works of Paracelsus. This in itself is not surprisingly, as Michelspacher was known to be a supporter of Paracelsian ideas and theories. If we examine the engravings in the Cabala, we can state with certainty that all four of the combined images illustrate concepts of Paracelsus’ theories on medical alchemy. Before I continue with the analysis and interpretation of the engravings in the Cabala (chapter 2-5), an introduction of Michelspacher’s life and work, the Cabala itself, and a brief summary of Paracelsus’ most influential theories, is in order. 1.1. Stephan Michelspacher and the Cabala Few details are known about the life of Stephan Michelspacher, except for his short career as a publisher (1613-1619). Starting as a Paracelsian physician in Tyrol in the early part of the seventeenth century, he practiced
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