Splend S Lis R

Splend r SOlis

Travesera de Gracia, 17-21 Tel. UK +44 (0)20 7193 4986 Tel. Spain +34 93 240 20 91 08021 Barcelona - Spain Tel. USA +1 305 831 4986 www.moleiro.com The Splendor Solis is the most beautiful treatise on alchemy ever made. Splendor Solis The British Library • London

«First, unique and unrepeatable edition strictly limited to 987 copies»

This codex, dated 1582, is the most • Shelf mark: Suppl. turc 242. beautiful treatise on alchemy ever • Date: 1582. made. The imagination and lyri- • Size: 230 x 330 mm. cism of its truly marvellous illus- • 100 pages, 22 full-page illuminations. trations are awe-inspiring even to lavishly embellished with gold. those not familiar with this subject. • Bound in crimson leather decorated The secrets of kabbalah, astrology with gold. and alchemic symbolism are revea- • Full-colour commentary volume (448 p.) led on 22 folios bearing full-page by Thomas Hofmeier (Historian of illustrations with a wealth of colo- Alchemy) Jörg Völlnagel (Art historian, ur and almost Baroque profusion research associate at the Staatliche of detail. Museen zu Berlin), Peter Kidd (Former curator of medieval and Renaissance manuscripts at the Bodleian and British Libraries) and Joscelyn Godwin.

Bound in crimson leather decorated with gold

moleiro.com/online • moleiro.com Tel. USA +1 305 831 4986 • Tel. UK +44 (0)20 7193 4986 Introduction to the Splendor Solis Splendor Solis, bearing in mind that most about the conditions surrounding the pro- contemporary readers would have consid- duction of the illuminated manuscript: we commentary volume erable diffi culty understanding much of know of numerous sources that were drawn Jörg Völlnagel the content: upon by both the text and the illustrations, which were to have a lasting effect on the Art historian, research associate at the The Alchemy Splendor Solis. In looking carefully at the ico- Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. of the Splendor Solis nography of both the illustrations and their “The Alchemy of the Splendor Solis” by respective sources we gain a closer insight Thomas Hofmeier offers an overview of into the origins of the Splendor Solis which The Harley MS. 3469 – “Splendor Solis or according to which the human being (the the intellectual and spiritual environment in turn leads us to an attribution of the Splendour of the Sun” – is one of the most alchemist) exists and acts in harmony with in which the Splendor Solis emerged, thus beautiful and well known illuminated al- nature, respecting divine creation and at providing important criteria for the intel- chemical manuscripts in the world. Its the same time intervening in the process- lectual classifi cation of the codex. What "Many people, including such illustrations can be found in many dif- es underlying that creation, all the while is alchemy in the fi rst place, what is its literary greats as William Butler ferent places. Decorating publications supporting its growth with the help of al- aim, how did it come about, what is its Yeats, James Joyce and Umberto on alchemy, esoteric self-help books and chemy. Comprised of seven treatises and history? These are the questions Thomas Eco, have dealt with the fantasy novels, they have also been known 22 opulent illustrations, the manuscript Hofmeier treats in his essay. Introducing manuscript" to appear on the labels of aphrodisiac revolves around this complex of philo- alchemy as a bibliographical science (with party drinks or record covers. Though sophical concerns, while the business of pictures), he also sheds light on the pro- they may or may not have been aware of chemistry itself is accorded a more subor- duction of manuscripts and the advent original miniatures supported by reliable it, many readers will no doubt have come dinate role. of book printing during the Late Middle evidence. The other sixteenth- and early across an illustration from this manuscript Be that as it may, both the author and Ages and Early Modern Era. Naturally he seventeenth-century illuminated copies of at one point or another. In view of such illustrator of the Splendor Solis no doubt directs much of his attention to the Splen- the manuscript to have survived besides decontextualised appearances, one might found the right tone, for in the course of dor Solis. Alongside his close reading of the Harley 3469 are introduced in brief, well ask what these pictures are all about: the centuries to have elapsed meanwhile the text, he elucidates the various sources followed by a discussion – perhaps most im- what is their subject matter, and what are the Splendor Solis has become the prime ex- drawn upon by the manuscript, culminat- portantly – of the concept underlying the the concerns of the text? When was the fa- ample of an illuminated alchemical manu- ing in a genealogical tree. Splendor Solis, which aspired from the very mous manuscript produced and who was script. Many people, including such liter- beginning to become the most beautiful of behind it? Thus the main question we face ary greats as William Butler Yeats, James The Origins all illuminated alchemical manuscripts. In- with the Splendor Solis is: what kind of book Joyce and Umberto Eco, have dealt with of the Splendor Solis deed, to return for a moment to the praise do we have in our hands? the manuscript in one way or another. Yet My own contribution to the volume, “The lauded upon the Splendor Solis at the outset, The Splendor Solis is by no means a up until now there has never been a mono- Origins of the Splendor Solis”, addresses the it was a concept realised, it is fair to state, laboratory manual, a kind of recipe book graph specifi cally dedicated to the Harley fact that the origins of the manuscript Har- with enduring success! for alchemists. Indeed, it is hardly a list MS. 3469. The publication of the present ley MS. 3469, which is dated 1582, can actu- of instructions for whipping up a little facsimile edition by Moleiro addresses ally be traced back a further fi fty years to The Provenance alchemical soup in the hope of fi nding a this longstanding desideratum. the southern German town of Augsburg. of the Harley Splendor Solis nugget of artifi cial gold in the pot at the The fi ve contributions assembled in Neither the author nor the commissioner Peter Kidd examines “The Provenance of end. Rather, the Splendor Solis sets forth the present commentary volume provide of the Splendor Solis is known to us. Nev- the Harley Splendor Solis”. While up until the philosophy of alchemy, a world view an indispensable basis for dealing with the ertheless, there is much that can be said now the only thing that could be said with

moleiro.com/online • moleiro.com/press Tel. UK +44 (0)20 7193 4986 • Tel. Spain +34 93 240 20 91 any certainty about the provenance of the for an interpretation of the work, while manuscript was that, being part of the Har- also offering clues as to a possible inter- ley Collection, it was among the original in- pretation of the enigmatic imagery of the ventory of the British Library, further clues Splendor Solis. can be found in notes made in pencil by Edward Harley on the manuscript’s fl yleaf. Translation Kidd investigates the historical plausibility of of the manuscript these markings, the source of which is not And fi nally, Joscelyn Godwin presents us revealed by Harley, thus paving the way for with the fi rst reliable English translation of the fi rst critical analysis of the provenance of the Early New High German original text this famous manuscript. of the Harley MS. 3469 manuscript. God- The same can also be said of an en- win’s translation is of particular historical try in the diary of John Evelyn. The note importance, for right back in the early sev- documents Evelyn’s encounter with an al- enteenth century, there were a number of chemical manuscript in the Royal Library early translations in circulation that were at Whitehall whose description matches based not on the original text of the Ger- the Splendor Solis and which has been man manuscripts, but rather on a highly linked in the literature with the Harley distorted and corrupt French version of MS. 3469 – a highly improbable conjec- the text. While it does include black-and- ture, as Kidd shows. white reproductions of the illustrations Admittedly, it is not easy to let go of in the Harley MS. 3469 manuscript, even the notion that alchemy’s most beautiful Julius Kohn’s famous text edition, pub- illuminated manuscript was not part of lished in 1920 by Kegan Paul in London the Royal British Library. Indeed, it would with numerous reprints in the meantime, only have been fi tting for the “Royal Art” suffers from an English translation bear- of alchemy to have acquired an altogether ing marked deviations from the original. new signifi cance in this way. Yet even this Godwin’s new translation redresses this necessary historiographical disillusion- unfortunate circumstance – all of which ment can be regarded among the merits is thanks to the publishing initiative of M. of the present publication. Moleiro Editor, allowing what may well be the most beautiful illuminated alchemical Commentaries on the manuscript to extend its splendour be- twenty-two paintings yond the British Library to a further 987 My “Commentaries on the the twenty-two public and private libraries. paintings” introduce the twenty-two full- page illustrations of the manuscript, de- Jörg Völlnagel scribing the key pictorial elements crucial

moleiro.com/online • moleiro.com f. 13v, Mine. philosophical tree, f. 15r

This miniature features a large tree as wide der. According to Read, the seven rungs as the picture itself. In the vicinity of the indeed represent the seven planets and tree’s golden roots the narrow silver trunk the metals attributed to them, hence the is encircled by a splendid golden crown. alchemical process must be in transition At the very top of the tree, a large raven from silver to gold. with a white head sits plucking transpar- Going on the content of the second ent, white pearls from the branches, while allegory, which directly precedes this pic- a fl ock of other birds fl y in all directions. ture in the manuscript, the fi gures in the Among the foliage below hangs a wicker miniature represent the three generations harvesting basket. To the left is a young of Aeneas’ family: Aeneas himself, his fa- man standing at the top of a ladder. ther Anchises, and up in the tree, his son The main miniature is bordered by a Silvius. As it happens, the two philosophers rather extraordinary painting of a stage- at the foot of the tree are also faithful cop- like frame structure with two tall wings on ies, albeit laterally reversed, of a woodcut each side. At the foot of the main mini- produced for a 1502 edition of Virgil’s ature, in the middle of the painted frame works published by Johannes Grüninger structure, a scene is taking place at a in Strasbourg. The three generations are women’s bath. From his position on the robed in the principal colours of alchemy. balcony located in the right wing a king The boy is dressed in black, the colour observes the scene, suggesting the paint- used to designate the beginning; white, ing might well be a loose interpretation of which symbolises the intermediary stage, the Bathsheba episode in the Old Testa- the opus parvum, is the dominant colour ment. The plinth is decorated by a frieze in the coat of his father, Aeneas; and the depicting a battle in relief. At the centre shawl of the family elder, Anchises, is red, of the frieze is a medallion containing the signifying perfection or the opus magnum. golden year of “1582”. Soaring birds are frequently used in alche- Known to alchemists as the philosoph- my to symbolise sublimation, which could ical tree, the tree of life stands for the also be symbolised in this instance by the opus alchymicum, the alchemical process white-hooded raven, its black body equat- regarded as a preliminary stage of the per- ing to the sublimate that remains behind fection to which alchemists aspire. This in the retort. In the alchemical process fact would lend support to John Read’s this would designate the transition from observation that the youth is standing on the nigredo to the albedo phase, from black the sixth and seventh rungs of the lad- to white.

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This miniature foregrounds a winged her- an illuminated manuscript without one. maphrodite within a verdant landscape. In the three colours black, white and red, Dressed all in black, the fi gure is wearing the Rebis (from Lat. res bina meaning “two- pointy shoes and tight-fi tting stockings fold matter”) also stands for the essence covered by a knee-length frock coat with of alchemical endeavour which aspires elaborate gold braiding and appliqués. to overcome particular states of matter Protruding from the generous golden through the union of opposites. Accord- neckline of the overgarment are two necks ing to the related passage of text, united and two heads. On the left is a male head pairs of opposites, as envisioned by the with short hair, and on the right a female painter in the fi gure of the hermaphro- head with long hair. Each of the two heads dite, bring forth four children: the four is encircled by an aura – the male in gold, elements of nature – earth, water, air and the female in silver – which underscores fi re. And it is from their entirety that the the hieratic origins of the hermaphrodite. fi fth “creature” emerges, this being the The two big fl uffy wings on the back of the quintessence. In the text this notion is fi gure – the left of red feathers, the right conveyed in terms of an egg, another of of white feathers – give further expression alchemy’s foremost symbols. Embodying to the same. The hermaphrodite holds a the four elements, the egg will hatch at white egg between the thumb and index some point, bringing forth the fi fth ele- fi nger of his left hand and a large, round ment like a young chick. The four ele- plate in his right hand. The surface of the ments are also invoked by the image of a disc is comprised of a number of rings. disc world with earth at the interior and Encompassing the round refl ective area in three rings of water, air and fi re revolving the centre, possibly a mirror, in which an around it. image of the surrounding landscape can be discerned, are three rings of different colours. Adjoining the outer ring of fl am- ing orange and yellow is a cloudy ring of white and grey. This middle ring adjoins the inner ring of deepest blue which en- circles the refl ected landscape. The egg, main Signifying the union of opposites, the alchemical symbol hermaphrodite is one of alchemy’s prin- (f. 19, detail) cipal symbols. Indeed, there is scarcely

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The left foreground of the picture is occu- perched on the head of the old man can pied by a rendered brick oven with an in- be interpreted as an image of sublimation, laid copper-coloured tub. In this cauldron, as the fl eeting distillate of the decoction which is fi lled to the brim with liquid, an process, which, following putrefaction, elderly man is sitting up to his chest in reunites with the physical residue in the water. Perched on top of the man’s head, fl ask. In his entry on the “Colombe”, Per- notable for its long dark hair and beard, is nety confi rms this association, pointing a large white dove with shimmering gold out that it is the task of the souffl eur, in plumage. With its wings raised, it seems pumping the bellows, to ensure the suc- ready to take fl ight. In front of the oven is cess of the alchemical project. a young man kneeling down on one knee. This depiction of decoction was in- He pumps air into the fi re with a hand bel- spired by two miniatures from the Aurora lows in a bid to keep the liquid at the right Consurgens – the sage in the cauldron per- temperature. The young man's clothing tains to the fi fteenth and the kneeling souf- – fi ne blue stockings and an orange-red fl eur to the thirteenth illustration in the doublet underneath a black, silver-braid- manuscript. By incorporating an image ed vest and white apron – suggests that of the sculptor Pygmalion into the mini- he is no mere servant charged with the ature, which is set into the tall base on the task of stoking the fi re. With his left elbow lower right, the painter added of his own resting upon his knee, his gaze fastened accord a second episode from Ovid’s Met- on the old man, the young man is clearly amorphoses. In so doing, he alluded to the watching for changes of state. The grand, creation of a new, ideal human being – a Venetian-style fantasy architecture in the mythological theme that congenially con- background embellishes the scene. curs with the ideas of alchemy. At this point in the Splendor Solis, men- tion is made of a tale by Ovid in which a wise old man, in a quest for rejuvenation, The dove, has himself cut to pieces and boiled. The an image of process of boiling, or decoction, will, he sublimation. believes, bring his limbs back together as (f. 21, detail) part of a rejuvenated and stronger whole. Alchemy regards the decoction of matter as equivalent to the operation of putrefac- tion, insofar as it serves as a starting point for the perfection process. The dove

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Sunshine permeates the atmosphere on long tail, three long necks and one white, the planet Sol, and its children are sunny one red and one black head. in nature. An aureole of brilliant light When it comes to interpreting the con- pierces the cloudy sky at its zenith; seated tents of this particular fl ask, no consensus within is the radiant golden sun god. He has been reached to date. Hartlaub and appears in a shiny metallic chariot drawn Roob argue that the creature is a three- by two grey horses. In his hands the plan- headed lion symbolising iron vitriol; Alleau etary god holds a staff topped by a sun. identifi es a three-headed dragon, while Under the infl uence of the planet Sol, Lennep sees in the fi gure a depiction of the people down on the earth below are Cerberus. Even the related passage in the engaged in physical exercise alongside treatise, which deals with the purifi cation aristocratic games and customs. In the left of matter, offers no real clue as to the iden- foreground a prince is seated on a throne, tity and signifi cance of the animal symbol. holding court in his orange, ermine-col- It may well be that the ambivalence was lared coat. A group of men clad in fi ne, intentional, that the painter deliberately brightly coloured garments has assembled created a monster which could be either around him, partially replicating engrav- dragon or lion. Once again, we might look ings by Albrecht Dürer. The inserted mini- to the inscription in the colour cartouche ature contains a fl ask set against a purple of the Nuremberg manuscript for clues. background. Beneath its vitreous shell There it is written: “Draconem nostrum vivum a winged creature in hues of yellow and date devorandum leoni ferocissimo” (Give our brown can be seen. The creature has a living dragon the wildest lion to swallow).

The people down on the earth below are engaged in physical exercise alongside aristocratic games and customs. (f. 6r, detail)

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As mentioned above, the Venus miniature, bagpiper and dancing couples is framed in which is also dated 1582, should theoreti- the foreground by two lovers caressing in cally be fi fth in the planet series. The rule the shade of a tree and in the background of Venus is characterised by pleasure, by a couple setting out on a horse ride. amusement, joy and beauty. Surmounting The interior miniature centres on a niche the scenes of sensual activity is an image composed of pilasters and protruding col- of the planetary goddess in her orange umns. The fl ask inside the niche contains chariot with two doves harnessed to the a magnifi cent peacock spreading its tail. front. In her left hand she holds an arrow In alchemy the peacock tail serves as as her attribute, while securing Amor with a symbol of the shifting patterns of colour her right hand. Leashed and blindfolded, which become visible in the fl ask once a he is shown balancing on one leg upon the certain level of transmutation has been seat, poised to shoot an arrow with his bow. reached. Being a noble oiseau, a bird typi- The depiction of the planetary goddess, cally associated in the Middle Ages with the enwreathed by clouds and illumined by a upper echelons of society, the peacock ap- bright light, is accompanied by a winged pears at the fi fth level of the transmutation heart which, pierced by an arrow, lingers process in the realm of Venus. Venturing a in the sky like a leitmotif. full interpretation of the miniature, Petra Around the inserted panel are com- Schramm regards the music-making, playing positions of various human activities in and dancing “planet-children” as a prelude the outdoors. A courtly scene at the lower to the “Chymical Wedding”, heightening edge of the picture conveys corporeal and the human capacity to love. As it happens, musical pleasures. The right-hand side is the two birds assigned to Venus were widely reserved for the simple, rural stratum of so- regarded as aphrodisiacs: peacock meat was ciety, a rather unusual clientele for the chil- believed to increase male potency and dove dren of Venus. Here, a peasant fair with a meat the willingness of women.

Venus in her orange chariot with two doves harnessed to the front. (f. 28r, detail)

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Depicted as a large red ball with golden The accompanying passage in the rays, the round body of the animate sun treatise describes the fi nal union of the in the sky is almost touching the horizon. purifi ed substances or polarities – sul- The sun’s human face is vividly captured phur and quicksilver for example – whose in gold-embellished hues of red. As a composition leads to the creation of the result, details such as the wrinkled fore- philosopher’s stone. Since the colour red head and furrowed eyebrows are clearly stands for the opus magnum, for purifi ed discernible upon the serious counte- gold, there can be no doubt that the il- nance. The golden rays emanating from lustration of the red sun embodies the the fi gure’s circumference enhance its ultimate goal. It symbolises the state of appearance, lending it the nimbus of a perfection, the magic wonders of the phi- mythical deity. Backed by a light-blue sky losopher’s stone or, to put it succinctly, with white cumulus clouds, the sun lights the splendour of the sun which, as in- up the almost monochrome landscape voked by the Splendor Solis, benefi cently that extends all the way to the horizon spreads out over all the earth. in shades of green and blue. The picture embodies the perfect complement to the miniature of the setting black sun in eve- ry regard.

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