Download PDF Splendor Solis The World Most Famous Alchemical Manuscript Dr Stephen Skinner Dr Rafal T Prinke Georgiana Hedesan Joscelyn Godwin 9781786782052 Books
Download As PDF : Splendor Solis The World Most Famous Alchemical Manuscript Dr Stephen Skinner Dr Rafal T Prinke Georgiana Hedesan Joscelyn Godwin 9781786782052 Books
The only high-quality yet affordable edition available of the classic alchemical manuscript Splendor Solis, described as "the most magnificent treatise on alchemy ever made". Includes up-to-date commentary from experts in the field and a modern translation of the 16th-century text.
A magnificent edition of theSplendor Solis for all those interested in alchemy, magic and mysterious manuscripts. Popularly attributed to the legendary figure Salomon Trismosin, the Splendor Solis ('Splendour of the Sun') is the most beautiful alchemical manuscript ever made, with 22 fabulous illustrations rich in allegorical and mystical symbolism. The paintings are given a fitting showcase in this new Watkins edition, which accompanies them with Joscelyn Godwin's excellent contemporary translation of the original 16th-century German text, as well as interpretation from alchemical experts Stephen Skinner and Georgiana Hedesan, and from Rafal T. Prinke, an authority in central and Eastern European esoteric manuscripts. Stephen Skinner explains the symbolism of both the text and the illustrations, suggesting that together they describe the physical process of the alchemical transmutation of base metal into gold. Rafal T. Prinke explains the theories about the authorship of both text and illustrations, discussing Splendor Solis as the turning point in alchemical iconography passing from the medieval tradition to that of the Baroque and the reasons for the misattribution of Splendor Solis to Poysel and Trismosin. Georgiana Hedesan looks at the legendary figure of Salomon Trismosin and his creation by followers of Theophrastus Paracelsus as part of an attempt to integrate their master in a lineage of ancient alchemical philosophers. The images are taken from the British Library manuscript Harley 3469, the finest example of the Splendor Solis to survive.
Download PDF Splendor Solis The World Most Famous Alchemical Manuscript Dr Stephen Skinner Dr Rafal T Prinke Georgiana Hedesan Joscelyn Godwin 9781786782052 Books
"A unique contribution to medievial esoteric history from several scholars who unearth deeper views on the authorship of the text and illustrations, historical influences and reflections on the link to the present. There is a particular fine treatment of Paracelsus who is a key link between the ancient and modern era of the fields of transformative medicine.
If you are a book lover, the quality of this book is superb: the thickest paper you can imagine with beautiful color reproductions of the finest surviving images which reside at the British Museum. The quality of the images far surpass previous books such as Henderson.
However, some might find surprising - if not shocking - that the authors reject Carl Jung’s assimilation of such ancient art into his archetypal/depth psychology, calling it “completely anachronistic to project Jung’s psychology and methods backwards into the thinking of medieval alchemists.†To be more blunt saying, “What the Spledor Solis is Not is Alchemy Psychologized.†Perhaps the emphasis on the physical aspects of alchemy is needed more as that part has been largely dismissed merely as the precursor of modern chemistry (it is but is more). But maybe it was also a precusor of something else.
But be your own judge. I am not sure how one can look at the psychologically laden images - of a what would seem a road map of the life-long, psycho-spiritual journey Jung termed Individuation in symbolic terms - and come to a purely materialistic conclusion that the ancient images were depicting purely the transmutation of physical materials with usually the goal of the creation of “healing potions.†The authors would say a rigorous historical analysis leads to this conclusion. Maybe the answer to such a riddle lies in how art in general is to be approached: not literal and singular in meaning but multidimensional and flexible in what it speaks to the individual (or ethnic group or era).
Perhaps it is time for a more updated and integrated view of alchemy, assimilating the psychological alchemy part Jung essentially split off with an updated aspect of the physical alchemy practice whose ends were clearly illumination, healing and spiritual transformation. The authors actually give a vital hint to what this might be (homeopathic preparations) but don’t expand on it. I would submit that the homeopathic system of medicine founded by Hahnemann (and expanded on by countless practitioners since) is the modern-day successor of ancient alchemy - a realization of the ancient goal to release the healing potential within nature’s substances that the alchemists mostly could only dream about. Both the spagyric “potions†the alchemists cooked up in their mystical laboratories and homeopathic medicines prepared now in modern pharmacological settings are in the realm of subtle-energy/quantum physics and not Newtonian-physics/rationalistic/reductionist science. They are different in nature but both sought to release “the spirit within the substance†to inact healing effects. The true early alchemists were healers more than anything. As any master homeopath can relate, the modern, potentized medicines cure way beyond minor acute maladies and work on the deepest mental/emotional/spiritual levels, catalyzing the healing, growth and transformative process of the individual towards his/her soul purpose. One of the most interesting and symbolic preparations is homeopathic gold (aurum) which is famous for curing the blackest of depression and rebirthing the lost solar to rise again in the suffering soul. That is alchemy. So perhaps the total story around alchemy today is not completely written. But the authors have made a sound contribution to the big picture here.
Lastly back to the allegorical art itself: we can only hope that reflecting on symbolic images like these in the Splendor Solis can, if nothing else for God’s sake, bring some needed inward seeking, mystery, beauty and, yes, magic, into one’s life to counteract the flattening and harshness of the externalized, technolgized world."
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Splendor Solis The World Most Famous Alchemical Manuscript Dr Stephen Skinner Dr Rafal T Prinke Georgiana Hedesan Joscelyn Godwin 9781786782052 Books Reviews :
Splendor Solis The World Most Famous Alchemical Manuscript Dr Stephen Skinner Dr Rafal T Prinke Georgiana Hedesan Joscelyn Godwin 9781786782052 Books Reviews
- A unique contribution to medievial esoteric history from several scholars who unearth deeper views on the authorship of the text and illustrations, historical influences and reflections on the link to the present. There is a particular fine treatment of Paracelsus who is a key link between the ancient and modern era of the fields of transformative medicine.
If you are a book lover, the quality of this book is superb the thickest paper you can imagine with beautiful color reproductions of the finest surviving images which reside at the British Museum. The quality of the images far surpass previous books such as Henderson.
However, some might find surprising - if not shocking - that the authors reject Carl Jung’s assimilation of such ancient art into his archetypal/depth psychology, calling it “completely anachronistic to project Jung’s psychology and methods backwards into the thinking of medieval alchemists.†To be more blunt saying, “What the Spledor Solis is Not is Alchemy Psychologized.†Perhaps the emphasis on the physical aspects of alchemy is needed more as that part has been largely dismissed merely as the precursor of modern chemistry (it is but is more). But maybe it was also a precusor of something else.
But be your own judge. I am not sure how one can look at the psychologically laden images - of a what would seem a road map of the life-long, psycho-spiritual journey Jung termed Individuation in symbolic terms - and come to a purely materialistic conclusion that the ancient images were depicting purely the transmutation of physical materials with usually the goal of the creation of “healing potions.†The authors would say a rigorous historical analysis leads to this conclusion. Maybe the answer to such a riddle lies in how art in general is to be approached not literal and singular in meaning but multidimensional and flexible in what it speaks to the individual (or ethnic group or era).
Perhaps it is time for a more updated and integrated view of alchemy, assimilating the psychological alchemy part Jung essentially split off with an updated aspect of the physical alchemy practice whose ends were clearly illumination, healing and spiritual transformation. The authors actually give a vital hint to what this might be (homeopathic preparations) but don’t expand on it. I would submit that the homeopathic system of medicine founded by Hahnemann (and expanded on by countless practitioners since) is the modern-day successor of ancient alchemy - a realization of the ancient goal to release the healing potential within nature’s substances that the alchemists mostly could only dream about. Both the spagyric “potions†the alchemists cooked up in their mystical laboratories and homeopathic medicines prepared now in modern pharmacological settings are in the realm of subtle-energy/quantum physics and not Newtonian-physics/rationalistic/reductionist science. They are different in nature but both sought to release “the spirit within the substance†to inact healing effects. The true early alchemists were healers more than anything. As any master homeopath can relate, the modern, potentized medicines cure way beyond minor acute maladies and work on the deepest mental/emotional/spiritual levels, catalyzing the healing, growth and transformative process of the individual towards his/her soul purpose. One of the most interesting and symbolic preparations is homeopathic gold (aurum) which is famous for curing the blackest of depression and rebirthing the lost solar to rise again in the suffering soul. That is alchemy. So perhaps the total story around alchemy today is not completely written. But the authors have made a sound contribution to the big picture here.
Lastly back to the allegorical art itself we can only hope that reflecting on symbolic images like these in the Splendor Solis can, if nothing else for God’s sake, bring some needed inward seeking, mystery, beauty and, yes, magic, into one’s life to counteract the flattening and harshness of the externalized, technolgized world. - The version has no color plates in it. I find this completely inexcusable. I also feel ripped off because there is nothing said to inform the customer of this fact. needs to put pressure on publishers to publish in the version what is published in the paper edition. Or, maybe it is time to quit getting suckered into buying a version since this is far from the first time I have experienced this problem.
- I've been fascinated by alchemy for a long time and my curiosity increased when I read a couple of novel where alchemy plays an important role.
I was more than happy to read a book about alchemy and discover more about this important text.
It's a fascinating and engaging reading that helps to have a better understanding of what alchemy is and what this text is and the meaning of the different illustrations.
I think that this is a book that must be read as a paper book to see the amazing illustrations at best.
Highly recommended if you are curious about alchemy.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC - My sister bought me a copy of this for my birthday. It is so beautiful! The prints are high quality. I enjoy Jungian psychology and I feel like these illustrations capture moments symbolic of personal transformation.
