Lorem ipsum or whatever

The Dragon and the Woman clothed with the Sun

Alexander Minorita, Expositio in Apocalypsim, Germany 1249-1250

Cambridge University Library, MS Mm.5.31, fol. 76r

Rebis, literally “two things” is the final product of the alchemical Great Work, the Philosopher’s Stone, personifying the “union of opposites”, compositum de compositis (“Conjunction of compounds”): Male and Female, sulfur and mercury, light and darkness, day and night, Sun and Moon, King and Queen, active and passive, cold and hot qualities, dryness and humidity. After man has passed through the stages of decomposition and purification, separating opposite qualities, these qualities are again united in what is sometimes called the Divine Hermaphrodite or androgyne, the reconciliation of spirit and matter. As an indication of this, Rebis was depicted as a figure with one body and male and female heads, which corresponded to the Sun and Moon or the Red King and White Queen.

Art: Leipzig, Universitätsbibliothek Leipzig, Cod. mag. 142 (Leihgabe Leipziger Stadtbibliothek), c. 1792

"Visita Interiora Terrae, Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem Veram Medicinam"

"Visit the interior of the earth, and by rectifying, you will find the hidden stone—the true medicine."

Sammelhandschrift mit alchemistischen Texten, 17th century

Planets in the manuscript: Astrologisch-astronomische Sammlung: Ms. germ. fol. 244, c. 1445

Henri Suso (1295–1366), Das Büchlein der ewigen Weisheit, manuscript probably made around 1480-1490

Depictions of planets and their respective influences over human activities as seen in De Sphaera d'Este (from around 1470 or 1491)

Luna, the Moon

Jupiter

Saturn

Venus

Sol, the Sun

Mars

marginalia birds

from the llangattock hours, illuminated by willem vrelant, the master of the llangattock hours, the master of the llangattock epiphany, and other flemish artists in bruges, 1450s

genealogical peacock (displaying coats of arms of members of the hainhofer family of augsburg)

double-page miniature from a heraldic manuscript (stammens-beschreibung des hainhoferischen geschlechts), augsburg, 1626

“Embroidered Panel with the Death of Blessed Verdiana Attavanti”

«Дьявол в спальне», пришедший осудить супружескую пару занимающуюся грехом не для зачатия детей, 15 век

103r Berthold Furtmeyr, full-page astrolabe with rotating disc for determining planetary hours, Cod. Pal. germ. 832, Heidelberger Schicksalsbuch — Regensburg, c. 1491

14th c. pheasant hunting trick (a pheasant being lured into a hunter's trap by its own reflection in a mirror, which it believes to be a particularly beautiful mating rival that it needs to fight)

illustration from a manuscript of henri de ferrières' hunting manual, le livre du roy modus et de la royne racio. paris, c. 1375-1400