Alchemical Symbolism in the VMS

[Barbrey]

Back to the origins of VMs Melusine. It may be worth noting that this is not the generally more favored, flying, dragon-like version of mythical Melusine of Lusignan. The VMs artist has instead presented a drawing of the aquatic, mermaid-like Melusine of Luxembourg.

While Duke Jean de Berry (VMs cosmic similarities with BNF Fr. 565) has several connections with the Melusine of Lusignan, he and his siblings were the children of Bonne of Luxembourg and laid claim to "Melusine" as an ancestral figure.

Other potentially relevant connections to the Melusine of Luxembourg might include Sigismund of Luxembourg, the Holy Roman Emperor and Elizabeth of Görlitz (d.1451), Duchess of Luxembourg, for a time.

It certainly seems reasonable that an appropriate interpretation of the VMs Melusine illustration would be more likely in certain medieval circles than - say - the first century of modern VMs investigations.

An interesting bit on Emperor Sigismund, regarding alchemy, and his wife, Barbara of Cilli / Celje, and her alchemist Johann von Laaz, posted by Searcher.
Search: Laaz
It's the first posting.

It seems fairly obvious to me that this so-called transformation of metals is basically attempted counterfeiting - the creation of metallic items that look like silver and gold and passing them off as genuine.

Not gainsaying your last point, R. Sale, the field was full of charlatans from the beginning. But there were very many that did believe in it, Roger Bacon annd Isaac Newton among them. I do know about Barbara of Cilli, even to the point of looking up her coat of arms, you’ll be interested to hear!  I’d be very interested in further info, not about her experiment, but about all of the amateur and serious alchemists in her circle and beyond at that time period. I’ve failed to turn up much information except for the fact of their existence. John the Alchemist is particularly intriguing, supposed first patron of the writer of The Book of the Holy Trinity. 

I fail to understand your point regarding the first century of VMs research. I’ve known about the Melusine and her mythical ancestry to certain French dynasties for thirty years. I believe you are more interested in dating the VMs and tying it to certain time periods and locations, which is a viable endeavour and line of inquiry. I’m more interested in her symbolism at that time period, and how it might relate to alchemy and the narratives of the balneological section, which is also a viable line of inquiry. So each to their own: maybe we’ll find our investigations meet somewhere in the middle.