Lorem ipsum or whatever

Miniature from an alchemical manuscript, c. 1400-1499, Italy, Free Library of Philadelphia, John Frederick Lewis Collection of European Manuscripts

The androgynous Rebis, fulfilment of the Opus Minor, is ‘abducted’ into the sky by the eagle, symbol of the ‘Sulphur’ signifying the highest degree of the Hermetic Imperator. At his feet lie the ravens ‘precipitated’ from the preliminary Nigredo.

Miniature of the Aurora Consurgens, 14th century. Zentralbibliothek Zurich, Cod. Rhenovacensis

"All things are concealed in all. One of them all is the concealer of the rest - their corporeal vessel, external, visible, and movable. All liquefactions are manifested in that vessel."

— Coelum philosophorum by Paracelsus

Art: Albertus Magnus, De lapidibus, c. 1522-1566

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