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About This Work
In a cluttered laboratory, an elderly figure sits at a table, gesturing toward an open book while being observed by two others. The room is filled with the implements of the trade, including glass retorts, ceramic pots, and a bellows on the floor, suggesting a scene of intense, if futile, intellectual and physical effort. The composition highlights the tension between the study of alchemical texts and the practical, often messy, reality of the laboratory.
The print reflects the 17th-century skepticism toward 'puffers'—alchemists who pursued gold-making primarily for wealth rather than spiritual transformation. It serves as a visual critique of the corruption of the Hermetic tradition, contrasting the arrogance of the gold-seeker with the divine sovereignty over matter.
Inscriptions(Dutch and French)
ONMOGELYCK. Wie herfmer oir, fien worden rijck. Met Gout te maken door practijck. Als algemist te maken Goen t'welck niemant doet dan Godt alleen. IMPOSSIBLE. Qui s'en veut l'eu richier De faire Or fon plaisir Ce alcamist fait par practique Que n'apperient qu'a DIEU unique. Pieter Nolpe excudit
Translation
IMPOSSIBLE. Who hopes to see themselves become rich By making Gold through practice As an alchemist to make it well Which no one does but God alone. IMPOSSIBLE. Who wishes to enrich themselves By making Gold for their pleasure This alchemist acts by practice What belongs only to the unique GOD. Pieter Nolpe published this
Connected Texts
Geber
The text refers to the 'practice' of alchemy, a central theme in the corpus attributed to Geber which was frequently debated in the 17th century.
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Provenance & Source
Object
Engraving
genre-scene
Digital Source
Unknown · Public domain
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3.1-flash-lite-preview on April 14, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.