Antimonial Pharmacy (1683) - Page 3

⚠The page background is heavily foxed and shows significant water damage and staining, particularly at the top and bottom edges. A later, cleaner white card with a printed emblem has been pasted onto the center of the original leaf.

A circular alchemical or hermetic emblem is printed on a white card. The central motif is a blue oval containing a white pelican in her piety. This depicts the bird feeding its young with blood from its own breast, a common symbol of self sacrifice. The pelican stands upon a silver crescent moon. This moon rests on a white cube that displays three red roses on its front face. Golden rays of light shine down from a sun at the top of the oval. The entire scene is enclosed in a green border and surrounded by a circular inscription in gold lettering.

HERMETIC PHILOSOPHY

original: "PHILOSOPHIA · HERMETICA"

Hermetic Philosophy: A tradition based on the purported writings of Hermes Trismegistus, focusing on the hidden relationships between the divine, the cosmos, and humanity.
Alchemical symbolism: The use of metaphors and allegorical images to describe chemical operations and spiritual purification.
Pelican in her piety: A heraldic and alchemical image of a bird feeding its chicks with its own blood. In alchemy, it represents the "multiplication" stage or the nurturing of the Philosopher's Stone.
Hermeticism: A school of thought that includes alchemy, astrology, and secret knowledge of the natural world.
Rosicrucian: A mystical movement symbolized by the rose and the cross, emphasizing spiritual transformation and hidden wisdom.
Crescent moon: An alchemical symbol representing silver, the feminine principle, or the element of water.
Cube: A symbol of the physical world, stability, and the four elements.
Roses: In this context, roses likely represent the unfolding of the soul or the achievement of the "Great Work."