Alchemical Symbolism in the VMS

[bi3mw]

What’s the thread, Matthias?

I'm not sure what you mean. First of all, in the absence of readable text in the VMS, we can only work through the illustrations. For me it was and is an essential endeavor to find my way through the sheer mass of alchemical illustrations as best I can. Every transfer to parts of the VMS presupposes that motifs of alchemical imagery are taken up and interpreted. Here it is good to have a work at hand that presents and explains illustrations over time and also emphasizes recurring "traditions" (please do not take this too literally!).

For example, one can try to interpret Quire 13 as a coherent, alchemical process. There are illustrations that immediately catch the eye. Here is an example:

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.

Then there are other illustrations that obviously show how substances are separated (without clear assignment):

   

Here the comparison to a "normal" representation in the "Liber de secretis naturae seu de quinta essentia" (1498, Pseudo-Lull):

   

So the work consists of assembling such fragments into an overall picture (step by step). That would be my theme, so to speak. Admittedly, I am still far away from a presentable result.