Alchemical Symbolism in the VMS

[MarcoP]

In my opinion, alchemical symbolism always requires some consideration in relation to the entire manuscript or section. An isolated consideration is of little use here.

I think this is a good way of proceeding in all cases (i.e. not only when considering alchemical symbolism): taking single details in isolation is fun and can give place to much entertaining speculation, but the best hope to actually find something useful is considering "the big picture". While the whole ms is very possibly made of more or less independent sections, each single section should be explained as a whole. 

In her "Alchemical Traditions" essay in the recent You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., Jennifer Rampling discusses alchemy in the specific context of the so-called biological/balneological section. She observes that the predominance of female figures is not compatible with known alchemical cycles, because a central concept of alchemy was the "conjunctio" (conjunction) of male and female and the male element represented gold, the ultimate objective of the alchemical process.
She also writes that "the widespread use of personifications in both alchemy and other Western iconographical traditions supports the notion that the human figures in the Voynich Manuscript might also serve as allegories for other kinds of natural or occult knowledge". The example of personifications that Rampling mentions in a footnote is You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.'s book about the Survival of the Pagan Gods: she is basically referring to the personifications of the planets. This is an immensely common theme in medieval art, but it's noticeably missing in the VMS: only the Sun and Moon appear as personifications (at least as human faces). The other planets seem not to appear in the VMS.

Rampling also mentions a paper by Barbara Obrist that luckily is available online: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view..
It's an excellent read. Among the many sources discussed, there is Wien, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, ms. 2372. In 2003 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. observed that one of the works contained in this ms (Gratheus filius Philosophi) could suggest an alchemical angle in the labeled nymphs that appear around the zodiac medallions.