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Engravings from Sebastian Wirdig. Nova medicina spirituum: curiosa Scientia et doctrina, unanimiter hucusque neglecta, et a nemine merito exculta, Medicis tamen et Physicis utilissima: In qua Primo Spirituum naturalis Constitutio, Vita, Sanitas, Temperamenta, Ingenia, Calidum innatum, Phantasiae vires, Astrorum influentiae [Metemphyschosis - Greek], rerum Magnetismi, Sympathiae et Antipathiae, Qualitates hactenus occulta, sensibus tamen manifestae, aliaque caetero quin abstrusa et paradoxa; Dehinc Spirituum praeternaturalis seu morbosa Dispositio, Causae, Curationes per naturam, per Diaetam, per Arcana majora, Palingenesiam, Magnetismum seu Sympatheismum, Transplantationes, Amuleta, ingenue et dilucide demonstrantur. Accedit ob affinitatem argumenti Anonymi Philalethae Tractatus numquam antehac editus de Liquore Alcahest., Hamburg, 1688. Back to Emblems in Printed books Back to Emblems in 17th Century Printed books 1. Frontispiece to the first book. 123x126mm. Jove in the clouds suspends by a chain an old man, Prometheus, who lights a torch from the Sun and then passes this flame down to a winged cupid with bow and quiver of arrows. He lights his own torch from that of Prometheus and in turn brings it to the earth. This cupid stands between two ranks of gods, who include Aphrodite, Dionysius, a goddess with flowers, Pan, a goddess with cornucopia, Hephaestus-Vulcan. In the foreground a man and a woman throw rocks over their shoulders, and behind them appear small human men and women. "S. Wirdig. Invenit. Cornelius Nicholas Schurtz delineavit et sculpsit Norimbergae 1673." 
2. Frontispiece to the second book. 121x127mm. Similar to item 1 except that this takes place at night and Prometheus' torch is lit from the Moon. Hermes-Mercury complet with winged helmet, sandals and caduceus, takes the place of the cupid. The six gods who sit on each side of Mercury, are Saturn, a goddess bearing flowers, an old bent-backed man, the skeleton of Chronos, Neptune and a bearded figure wrapped in a fur coat. "S. Wirdig. Inventor. Cornelius Nicholas Schurtz delineavit et sculpsit Norimber."]
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