+- The Voynich Ninja (https://www.voynich.ninja)
+-- Forum: Voynich Research (https://www.voynich.ninja/forum-27.html)
+--- Forum: Voynich Talk (https://www.voynich.ninja/forum-6.html)
+--- Thread: Alchemical Symbolism in the VMS (/thread-1745.html)
RE: Alchemical Symbolism in the VMS - Searcher - 26-12-2020
(26-12-2020, 07:32 PM)R. Sale Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.And the best example of alchemical symbolism in the VMs is ... ???Probably, the VMs was originated at the time when practically no alchemical symbolism existed in Europe yet. Around the same time, the manuscripts were written: "The Book of the Holy Trinity" and "Aurora Consurgens". Although these 2 manuscripts differ significantly from each other, they set the tone for the depiction of alchemical emblems in future. It is possible that at that time there were still many less popular works in a completely different style. Most likely, we will never see most of it.
RE: Alchemical Symbolism in the VMS - R. Sale - 27-12-2020
bi3mw,
No problem, I do it all the time. It's called conjecture. Sometimes it works, sometimes not.
I was just asking in case I had missed something. Koen suggested 'curated threads' and included alchemy as a potential example. I wondered what alchemical information there was that might be sufficiently 'curated' to fit that criterion. Or perhaps it is yet to be discovered.
RE: Alchemical Symbolism in the VMS - bi3mw - 27-12-2020
(27-12-2020, 12:59 AM)R. Sale Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Or perhaps it is yet to be discovered.
Quote:Except for the few most enlightened alchemists, most medieval adepts believed that they could actually turn lead into gold. Literature shows how these frustrated would-be gold makers became entangled in the subterranean labyrinth of fantasies, hallucinations, visions, and dreams. But what seemed to be the greatest mistake of these alchemical sorcerer's apprentices became their greatest achievement: in the darkness of all these dead ends, the "Sons of Hermes" discovered, through their activated imagination, the unconscious.
C.G. Jung realized that many of his clients' dreams and states of consciousness looked strikingly similar to the descriptions in alchemical texts. As a result, he came to believe that knowledge of alchemy could be used to better understand the processes of psychological and spiritual transformation in psychotherapy.
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
In these imaginations, the basic archetype of the anima played a role that should not be underestimated. One can speculate whether this could have influenced the image design in Quire 13, for example.With the conspicuous mass of sole representations of naked women, one could assume that it is a projection surface of the illustrator.
Quote:Even the marvelous "nymphs and dryads" are "anima projections, if they are male statements."
Quote from C.G. Jung on Wikipedia
RE: Alchemical Symbolism in the VMS - bi3mw - 28-05-2021
Because it was already mentioned once ( You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. ), I show the following texts:
Text 17. Mappae clavicula: Herstellung von Alkohol
Text 17. mappae clavicula: production of alcohol ( page 44 )
and
Text 18. Taddeo Alderotti: Herstellung von Alkohol mit Beschreibung des Destillationsapparats
Text 18. Taddeo Alderotti: Production of Alcohol with Description of the Distillation Apparatus ( page 45 )
In summary, one can say that in the "Mappae clavicula" the text was encoded, but not in Alderotti`s "De virtutibus aquae vitae".
The texts of the PDF file are unfortunately in German, but you can easily copy them into a translator.
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
RE: Alchemical Symbolism in the VMS - bi3mw - 04-06-2021
Here I have found a work from the year 1582 that has alchemical content and interestingly refers to Paracelsus ( * 1493 or 1494 in Egg, Kanton Schwyz; † 24 September 1541 in Salzburg ). Paracelsus was, among other things, a lay theologian.
Quote:Pandora, das ist, Die edleste Gab Gottes, oder, Der werde vnnd heilsamme Stein der Weysen, mit welchem die alten Philosophi, auch Theophrastus Paracelsus, die vnvolkom[m]ene Metallen, durch Gewalt des Fewrs verbessert, sampt allerley schädliche vnd unheilsame Kranckheiten, innerlich vnd eusserlich haben vertrieben : ein Guldener Schatz, welcher durch einen Liebhaber diser Kunst, von seinem Untergang errettet ist worden, vnnd zu Nutz allen Menschen, fürnem[m]lich den Liebhabern der Paracelsischen Artzney, erst jetz in Truck verfertiget
by Epimetheus, Franciscus; Reusner, Hieronymus, b. 1558; Apiarius, Samuel, d. 1590
English:
Pandora, that is, The noblest gift of God, or, The precious and healing philosopher's stone, with which the ancient philosophers, including Theophrastus Paracelsus, improved the imperfect metals by the power of fire, along with all kinds of harmful and unwholesome diseases, internally and externally expelled: A golden treasure, which was saved from its destruction by a lover of this art, and for the benefit of all people, especially the lovers of the Paracelsian art, has only now been brought into print.
There is also figurative recourse to alchemical traditions whereby this follows the theosophical approach:
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
So alchemy and religion got along partly well. Does anyone know other ( older ) examples from this direction ? The "Donum Dei" for example belongs to it ( in my opinion ). I am not sure about the "Book of the Holy Trinity".
RE: Alchemical Symbolism in the VMS - nablator - 04-06-2021
(04-06-2021, 05:20 PM)bi3mw Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Does anyone know other ( older ) examples from this direction ? The "Donum Dei" for example belongs to it ( in my opinion ). I am not sure about the "Book of the Holy Trinity".
According to You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. the earliest Pretiosissimum Donum Dei is dated to the early 15th century (same as the "Book of the Holy Trinity"). I don't know if any manuscript of the Donum Dei from the first half of the 15th century is digitized.
Barbara Obrist references some illustrated alchemical manuscripts, the oldest dated to the second half of the 14th century: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
Nothing obviously VMS-compatible, though.
RE: Alchemical Symbolism in the VMS - bi3mw - 05-06-2021
(04-06-2021, 06:20 PM)nablator Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Nothing obviously VMS-compatible, though.By the way, I also look for such parallels in more recent works. This can be legitimate, since often motifs from older works were simply taken over. This does not have to apply only to "standard works". There, however, this tradition can be easily proven, since both copies are still available.
An example: Mellon MS 110 was produced around 1760, the Aurora Consurgens dates back to the 15th century. Looking at the illustrations, it is easy to see that some of them were simply transferred, despite the very long period of time between them. The motifs are identical. It is therefore quite conceivable that in many later alchemical works (which are not so well known) there is also a "reverberation" on older works.
Illustrations above:
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library
Alchemical and rosicrucian compendium.
Mellon MS 110
ca. 1760
Illustrations below:
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
Zürich, Zentralbibliothek
Aurora consurgens
Ms. Rh. 172
15th century
RE: Alchemical Symbolism in the VMS - bi3mw - 27-06-2021
Distilling reliable remedies: Hieronymus Brunschwig's Liber de arte distillandi (1500) between alchemical learning and craft practice. By Tillmann Taape
Quote:I argue that his concept of distillation is shaped by an alchemical understanding of matter, especially by the writings on 'quintessence' of the fourteenth-century alchemist John of Rupescissa.
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
RE: Alchemical Symbolism in the VMS - Aga Tentakulus - 27-06-2021
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
RE: Alchemical Symbolism in the VMS - bi3mw - 30-06-2021
Quote:Wikipedia
He ( Johannes de Rupescissa ) propagated the spirit of wine (alcohol) distilled by him, according to procedures for the production of brandy already known at that time and handed down for instance by Taddeo Alderotti, as a general remedy, which also prolonged life, and called it quinta essentia or aqua vitae. This fifth essence - alluding to Aristotle in addition to the classical four elements of earth, fire, water, air - was of celestial origin and counteracted the corrupting and destructive influences of the earth, such as disease and old age, and was not subject to their degradation. According to Rupescissa, it was given by God to preserve the body just as he had created heaven to save the world (and thus, according to Rupescissa, something like a human heaven).
In Cod. M II 180, starting at folio 72r, "das Buch der Heimlichkeit" by Johannes de Rupescissa is written down. The red heading reads approximately as follows:
"Hie vohet an daz register des buches von der heimelichkeit und blumen aller ertzenie und von dem funfften wesen."
It can be assumed that the "funfften wesen" is synonymous with the "fifth essence". The entire text would therefore have to deal with the "quinta essentia" or "aqua vitae" or its production. Consequently, in the "You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view." folio 72r to 105v in Cod. M II 180 are with the heading "Liber de consideratione quintae essentiae". However, I am cautious with the assumption that the German translation is a quasi 1:1 copy of the work.
I have a hard time reading the rest of the text. Perhaps someone can at least translate the beginning correctly.
With regard to the VMS, I would speculate that large parts of Quire 13 could be an illustrated version of the "Buch der Heimlichkeit" or "Liber de consideratione quintae essentiae".
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.