Alchemy and Rudolf II

[Paul Ferguson]

"It is difficult to think of a theme in Bohemian and Central European history in the early modern age that is so popular and at the same time still today so little understood as that of the alchemy that is associated with the reign of the Emperor Rudolf II (1552–1612). The blame for this can by no means be laid solely at the door of the wellknown film from the early 1950s, for it only took over the oversimplified picture of “Rudolfine alchemy” as it was developed in Czech and German historiography in the 19th century and the first half of the 20th. This picture mixed legends with facts that could be historically documented, and which were consequently frequently interpreted incorrectly."

Alchemy and Rudolf II
By Artefactum Publishing house ÚDU AV ČR
Ivo Purš, Vladimír Karpenko (eds.) 

Preface only:

https://www.academia.edu/37691263/Alchemy_and_Rudolf_II

[Paul Ferguson]

The film referred to is The Emperor and the Golem (Czech: Císařův pekař a pekařův císař, literally "The Emperor′s Baker and Baker′s Emperor"), a two-part Czechoslovak historical fantasy comedy film produced in 1951. The film was shot in color (not common for Czechoslovak films in that period) because of the international release and is set during the reign of Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia (1583–1611) and takes place in Late Renaissance (Mannerist) Prague. It is one of the best known films of Jan Werich, who performed the dual roles of Emperor Rudolf and baker Matěj. The movie is still quite popular in Czech society due to its catchy songs and its impressive portrait of the Golem, a mythical anthropomorphic robot-like creature allegedly made from clay by the renowned Rabbi Loew.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043411/