Alchemical symbolism, imagery and music

Imagery and symbolism are important facets of alchemy. Alchemical writers used beautiful imagery as a means of illustrating their ideas. Manuscripts and printed books are full of symbolism, emblems and imagery, often elaborated into complex sequences.


Sorry, your browser doesn't support Java. Adam McLean's Art Gallery of hand-coloured alchemical images [over 200 items]
Alchemical symbolism
Searchable database of alchemical emblems [500 + images]
Database of alchemical iconography
Paintings and other artwork:
Alchemy in art - paintings showing alchemist's laboratories
Contemporary artists influenced by alchemy
Alchemical engravings handcoloured by Adam McLean
Portraits of alchemists and hermetic philosophers

Images from manuscripts and books:
Cabala mineralis manuscript
Nicolas Flamel - The figures of Abraham the Jew
Illustrations from the Aurora consurgens manuscript
Titlepages to Robert Fludd's books
Woodcuts from Nazari
The mystical heart diagrams of Paul Kaym
Splendor Solis images
Animated version of the alchemical process shown in the Crowning of Nature manuscripts.

Images of alchemical apparatus:
Images from Greek alchemical manuscripts
Images from Greek alchemical manuscript in Venice
Images from Greek alchemical manuscripts in Paris
Drawings from the Book of Crates
Chemical utensils from Libavius Alchymia, 1606
Vessels for digestion and circulation from Libavius Alchymia
Still heads from Libavius Alchymia
Other chemical utensils from Libavius Alchymia
Receivers from Libavius Alchymia
Apparatus for analysis and separation from Andreas Libavius Alchymia
Idealised design for a chemical institute, from Alchymia
42 woodcuts of alchemical and distilling apparatus from John French The art of distillation
12 woodcuts of alchemical apparatus from Geber's Works
Late mediaeval Indian alchemical apparatus.
Indian alchemical apparatus

Alchemical symbols for substances, processes and equipment:
Egyptian symbols for the metals
Alchemical symbols used in 17th century
Alchemical and chemical symbols used by Scheele (18th century)
Chemical symbols used by Dalton (19th century)
Comprehensive list from Medicinisch-Chymisch- und Alchemistisches Oraculum, Ulm, 1755.

Other material:
Enochian, Rosicrucian or Elemental Chess

Alchemical music [from Atalanta fugiens]