Portraits of Paracelsus
Return to McLean's copy.
The Flemish artist Quentin Metsys (c.1465-1530) who was a contemporary of Paracelsus made a portrait of Paracelsus. This original portrait may have been drawn from life. Unfortunately this does not seem to have survived, but it must have been around in the 17th century as at least three copies were made then.
![](Rubens - Paracelsus Brussels.jpg)
Copy made in 1617/18 by Peter Paul Rubens.
Now in Brussels.
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![](paracelsus00.jpg)
Copy made in the first half of the 17th century by an unknown Flemish artist.
Now in the Louvre.
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![](Paracelsus portrait Uppsala.jpg)
Copy made in the first half of the 17th century by a pupil of Rubens.
Now in Uppsala.
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There are a few engraved portraits of Paracelsus that follow these paintings.
![](paracelsus portrait Wenceslaus Hollar.jpg)
Engraving by Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-1677)
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![](paracelsus portrait engraving 2.jpg)
17th century engraving.
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![](Portrait engraving Payne.jpg)
17th century engraving by John Payne.
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![](Paracelsus engraving William Ridley.jpg)
19th Century engraving by William Ridley
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Most of the illustrations in books, however, are of the conventional image of Paracelsus with his hand on the pommel of his sword which has the 'azoth' hidden inside.
![](Engraved title page Mathias Quad.jpg)
Engraved title page from Mathias Quad, Paracelsus-Flugblatt, Nuremberg 1606.
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![](paracelsus_portrait.jpg)
Woodcut from Astronomica et Astrologica, 1567.
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![](Durer - Paracelsus drawing repro 18th century.jpg)
Engraved title page, Dresden 1781, supposedly of a drawing by Durer.
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![](paracelsus portrait woodcut.jpg)
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![](Paracelsus portrait engraving.jpg)
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![](Paracelsus woodcut portrait.jpg)
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![](paracelsus.jpg)
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![](Paracelsus - Archidoxes.jpg)
Woodcut on titlepage Paracelsus Archidoxa, Munich, 1570.
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![](Paracelsus woodcut medicorum.jpg)
Woodcut on titlepage Paracelsus Medicorum et philosophorum , Basel, 1570.
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![](Croll - La Royalle chymie.jpg)
Section of engraved titlepage of Croll La Royalle Chymie, 1624.
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![](Paracelsus Philosophi vnnd Medicini.jpg)
Part of woodcut frontispiece Paracelsus, Philosophi vnnd Medicini. Basel, 1589-90
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![](Paracelsus engraving 17th century.jpg)
17th Century engraving.
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![](Paracelsus - Hydrolithus sophicus.jpg)
Section of engraved titlepage Hydrolithus sophicus, 1625.
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![](Paracelsus - Hirschvogel.jpg)
Woodcut portrait after Augustin Hirschvogel from Paracelsus Das Buch Meteororum, 1566.
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![](Paracelsus Chauveau portrait.jpg)
Engraved portrait by François Chauveau after Tintoretto from Paracelsus, Opera Omnia, Tournes, 1658.
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