Alchemy discussion forum > Alchemical Symbolism and Imagery > Alchemy Symbolism and Imagery > Two leaves with alchemical emblems in Philadelphia
Alchemy discussion forum > Alchemical Symbolism and Imagery > Alchemy Symbolism and Imagery > Two leaves with alchemical emblems in Philadelphia |
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adammclean Member 
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I have found a manuscript previously unknown to me, containing two beautifully coloured emblems derived from the Buch der heiligen Dreifaltigkeit. These are two disbound leaves obviously belonging to the same manuscript, which are now in the Free Library of Philadelphia. This library seems to have been endowed with a considerable number of early illuminated manuscripts, though as far as I am able to determine, this is the only alchemical one. This item is in the Lewis collection. The library assigns this to the 15th century. These are rather wonderful examples of alchemical emblems, beautifully drawn and coloured. The stylised Sun and Moon trees giving rise to the red and white tinctures, in the emblem on the right, are exquisite. There are always more treasures to uncover if only one has the more time to devote to research! Attached Image (viewed 7224 times): |
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Michael Pearce Member
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Great find Adam! I love the female figure in the right hand image and the dualistic trees. The rods in her hands - simply illustrating duality, or some deeper meaning? |
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Paul Ferguson Member 
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There is a thesis on this text underway at Kiel. Due for completion 2009: http://www.mediaevum.de/forschen/projekt_annina_sczesny.htm "Die Ergebnisse der textgeschichtlichen Untersuchung sollen zu einem kommentierten Handschriftenverzeichnis und einem bereinigten Textabdruck des »Buchs der Heiligen Dreifaltigkeit« nach der Hs. B oder der Hs. N führen, welcher den anschließenden literaturwissenschaftlichen Analysen zugrunde gelegt wird. Mit einem Kommentar des Textes werden sodann wesentliche Vorarbeiten zur inhaltlichen Erschließung des Traktats und seiner Wissensbestände geleistet. Auf dieser Basis kann dann die Analyse der Wissensbestände im »Buch der Heiligen Dreifaltigkeit« erfolgen. In einem letzten Schritt werden schließlich die Varianzen der Wissensformationen in der Überlieferung des »Buchs der Heiligen Dreifaltigkeit« im 15. Jahrhundert beschrieben und analysiert." Also see: http://www.fk-alchemie.de/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=500&sid=52c5526ee1f1b2005b4cd8863508c1a8 |
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Johann Plattner Member 
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The Bayerische Staatsbibliothek in Munich provides a complete faksimile of a manuscript of 'Das Buch der heiligen Dreifaltigkeit'. There is only a short description of the Ms: Buch der heiligen Dreifaltigkeit - BSB Cgm 598, Tegernsee? , 2. Hälfte 15. Jh. (nicht vor 1467) (Lake Tegern, 2nd half of the 15th century, not before 1467) For those who are interested may access the scans by the following url: http://mdz10.bib-bvb.de/~db/ausgaben/thumbnailseite.html?id=00016775&seite=1 Last edited on Mon Sep 8th, 2008 06:53 pm by Johann Plattner |
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Annina Sczesny Member
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Please note, that the Munich manuscript is unfortunately bound incorrectly. The BSB declines to reconstruct the original state of the manuscript in the virtual version, because the digital version is supposed to represent the actual condition of the manuscript. In detail, the sheets 16-21 and 71-76 were interchanged (following the manuscript numbering, which - according to Karin Schneider - goes back to the 16th century). |
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Annina Sczesny Member
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There has been recently published another digitization of the "Buch der Heiligen Dreifaltigkeit" on the Internet: the Cod. pal. germ. 843, Fasz. 3 (UB Heidelberg) from the 16th century (fragment of the first 12 sheets, empty space for 8 pictures): http://diglit.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/cpg843/0137?sid=70c322d16083d1b36966658ba2d301e2 |
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adammclean Member
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Annina Sczesny wrote: There has been recently published another digitization of the "Buch der Heiligen Dreifaltigkeit" on the Internet: the Cod. pal. germ. 843, Fasz. 3 (UB Heidelberg) from the 16th century (fragment of the first 12 sheets, empty space for 8 pictures): Do you know the relationship between the texts of the early version 1410-12 of the Buch der Heiligen Dreifaltigkeit and the manuscripts which seem to emanate from a version 'Kadolzburg 1433' ? |
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Annina Sczesny Member
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I’m sorry, I’ve just compared the manuscripts from Berlin, Nuremberg and Munich yet, because I had to decide upon the leading manuscript of my edition. The relationship between the oldest version, the Cadolzburg version and the version of Ms. 164 (Wellcome Library) will be examined in about four months, I think. The Cadolzburg version comprises variations in the sequence of text sections, cuts, supplementations and variant readings. There is already an excellent Master’s thesis by Hans-Juergen Ott on this topic, which is unfortunately unpublished. |
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Carl Lavoie Member
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. The Red and the White trees depicted here also, although not as ornate as in the ‘Philadelphia’ illumination. -XIVth c., French (Bibl. de l’Arsenal) . Last edited on Wed Aug 28th, 2013 06:42 am by Carl Lavoie |
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adammclean Member
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Carl, Nice find. Are there any other illustrations from that manuscript available ? |
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Carl Lavoie Member
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. The BNF search engines are not exactly user-friendly. But I’ll keep looking. -C. . |
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Paul Ferguson Member
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Carl Lavoie wrote:. Library card here: http://archivesetmanuscrits.bnf.fr/ead.html?id=FRBNFEAD000009018&c=FRBNFEAD000009018_d0e482&qid=sdx_q52 |
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Carl Lavoie Member
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. That's the one. Thanks Paul.
Here's the page of the miniature shown above: "Ci commence le testament des nobles philozophes" (f401r) : http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b60002894/f815.image An interesting one on f416r : http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b60002894/f845.image And on 457v : http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b60002894/f928.image . Last edited on Fri Aug 30th, 2013 03:30 am by Carl Lavoie |
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