Légende

Putrefactio philosophorum (The putrefaction of the philosophers), late 13th century. Drawing of a black coloured glass vessel relating to alchemical experimentation, with text. The black stage of the crow's head. The stages of the alchemical process were attributed various colours, black being one of them. The three main colours were black, white and red. Sometimes the stages were compared to birds, hence the black crow. This is from a collection of alchemical extracts, mainly from Arnold of Villanova, who was a physician who treated popes and kings during the thirteenth century. From Alchemy: General collections and anonymous treatises and processes in prose and verse.

Date

1270

Crédit

Photo12/Heritage Images/Heritage Art

Notre référence

HRM25A15_386

Model release

NA

Property release

NA

Licence

Droits gérés

Format disponible

50,8Mo (2,4Mo) / 39,5cm x 32,2cm / 4665 x 3803 (300dpi)

Mots clés

Latin black library writing science color medieval process chemistry rotting text century miniature processing British Library manuscript lettering calligraphy laboratory equipment Colour distillation mediaeval Middle Ages alchemy distilling Thirteenth Century 13th century alembic illuminated manuscript manuscript Arnold of Villanova Villanova Arnold of black colour Heritage Art putrefaction