“decima figura” (figure ten), engraved by matthaeus merian (1593–1650). Figure 10 from lambsprinck's de lapide philosophico [on the philosopher's stone] as published in the musaeum hermeticum, reformatum et amplificatum. Francofurti: apud hermannum à sande, 1678. In latin. The caption on the figure reads:
salamandra vivit in igne, ignisque hanc mutavit in optimum colorem. Decima figura. Reiteratie, gradatio & melioratio tincturae, vel lapidis philosophorum: augmentatio potius intelligatur. Roughly translated: "salamander lives in the fire, the fire, this has changed in the best color. / tenth figure. / repetition, scale and the betterment of the dyes or the philosophers stone, an augmentation is rather meant. "
a man stands next to a fire, using a trident to poke a salamander in the fire. In the background, past a river, on a mountain, stands a castle. Alchemy has always been closely associated with metallurgy, one of mankind’s most ancient chemical industries. In fact, alchemy grew out of the trade secrets of ancient metallurgists. In the medieval period alchemists developed sophisticated, powerful techniques to separate and purify metals. Chemical manipulation of precious metals was the most notable example of alchemy’s mastery and the most promising evidence for the possibility of transmutation. Date: 1678. Medium: engraving. Collection: Science History Institute.
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