Portrait of Hermes Trismegistus, the legendary founder of alchemy, in an ornate oval frame, wearing a turban and holding a stone tablet.

HERMES TRISME-

GISTUS OF EGYPT.

That which is above is like that which is below. original: "Quod est superius, est sicut id quod est inferius." This famous maxim from the Emerald Tablet suggests that the laws of the macrocosm (the universe) are mirrored in the microcosm (the human body).

Portrait of Geber the Arab (Jabir ibn Hayyan) in an ornate oval frame, wearing a turban and holding a book.

GEBER

THE ARAB.

In the Sun and in Salt, all things of nature exist. original: "In Sole et Sale natura sunt omnia." In alchemical symbolism, the Sun represents Gold or the active principle of Sulfur, while Salt represents the physical body or stability.

Top center: A celestial circular diagram. At the center is a triangle containing the Hebrew name of God (the Tetragrammaton, יהוה), labeled "The Holy Tri-Unity" and "Inaccessible Light." Around it are names of the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) and concentric circles containing the nine angelic orders: Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Powers, Virtues, Principalities, Archangels, and Angels. The diagram is flanked by the words "God," "Man," "The Infinite," and "The Finite." This illustrates the "Light of Grace" mentioned in the title.

OSWALD CROLL'S

CHEMICAL BASILICA

Alchemical Royal Jewel:

A philosophical description, confirmed and

verified by his own personal experience,

concerning the use of the most excellent

chemical medicines, drawn from the Light of

Grace and of Nature.

Including his attached new

treatise on internal SignaturesThe "Doctrine of Signatures" was the belief that God marked every plant and mineral with a physical sign—such as shape or color—to indicate its medicinal purpose. or the signs of things:

Portrait of Morienes Romanus in an ornate oval frame, depicted as a bearded man in a monk's cowl.

MORIENES

THE ROMAN.

Let the hidden be made manifest, and vice versa. original: "Occultum fiat manifestum, et viceversa." This refers to the alchemical goal of extracting the "spirit" from dense matter and making the spiritual "solid."

Portrait of Roger Bacon in an ornate oval frame, pointing to a salamander (a creature of fire) in a flame.

ROGER BACON

THE ENGLISHMAN.

Through the conversion of the elements, let the purified Trinity become Unity. original: "Per elementorum conversionem Ternarius purificatus fiat MONAS."

Portrait of Ramon Llull in an ornate oval frame, depicted as a monk pointing toward a six-pointed star.

R. LLULL

THE SPANIARD.

With fire, at last, Water returns to favor. original: "Cum igne tandem in gratiam redit Aqua." This describes the reconciliation of opposing elements during the chemical process.

Portrait of Paracelsus in an ornate oval frame, depicted as a bald man with his hand on the hilt of his famous sword, "Azoth."

TH. PARACELSUS

THE GERMAN.

Separate and lead to maturity. original: "Separate et ad maturitatem perducite." This is the core of Paracelsian pharmacy: separating the pure medicine from the toxic dross of a plant or mineral.

Bottom center: A complex alchemical-theosophical circular diagram. The outer ring reads "The Infinite Good of the Light of Nature." The second ring reads "Pray and work, considering all things vain except to..." The third ring reads "Love God and serve Him alone." Inside are three overlapping circles labeled "Theological Cabala," "Astronomical Magic," and "Medical Alchemy." A central triangle contains the elements Fire, Air, Water, and Earth, and the three principles Soul, Spirit, and Body, as well as the three kingdoms of nature: Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral. To the left, a small sun contains the Hebrew name of God.

Frankfurt, published by Gottfried Tampach.

Bavarian State Library