Summary

Author	Hans Vredeman de Vries (1527–1607) Alternative names Jan Vredeman de Vries Description Southern Netherlandish printmaker, designer, painter and drawer Date of birth/death 1527 1607 Location of birth/death Leeuwarden Hamburg Work location Antwerp (1549-86), Mechelen (1553), Liège (1570), Kollum , Aachen , Germany (1586-95), Gdańsk (1592-5), Hamburg (1595-6), Prague (1596), Amsterdam (1600-1), The Hague (1601-4), Hamburg (1604-1607) Authority file : Q944332 VIAF : 87173536 ISNI : 0000000121028764 ULAN : 500006358 LCCN : n85340276 NLA : 35965610 WorldCat creator QS:P170,Q944332
Description	Alchemist's laboratory , engraving pictured in the book Amphitheatrum sapientiae aeternae written by Heinrich Khunrath
Date	1595 date QS:P571,+1595-00-00T00:00:00Z/9
Medium	engraving
Inscriptions	see transcription below
Notes	This is a copy of Image:Alchemist's Laboratory, Heinrich Khunrath, Amphitheatrum sapientiae aeternae, 1595.jpg , adjusted for brightness/contrast/white levels/saturation by en:User:Brian0918 2006-03-28.
Source/Photographer	http://www.library.wisc.edu/libraries/SpecialCollections/khunrath/labbig.html
Other versions

Transcription of text in the image

• Architrave:

SINE AFFLATU DIVINO, NEMO VNQUAM VIR MAGNUS.

"Without Divine Inspiration, there is no man who is great." (From Cicero, De natura deorum [1] )

• Motto ribbon above the chemicals shelf, on the right:

NEC TEMERE, NEC TIMIDE

"Neither rashly, nor timidly"

• Plaque above the chemicals shelf:

LABORATORIVM

"Laboratory"

• Chemical bottles:

(top row) ??ca • ROS celi. • Azoth • ??tub.

"" symbol=spiritus per despensum (text?) ros celi = dew of the sky, Azoth = sophic mercury, sulfur

(bottom row) ӿ ?hit? . • Hyle. • SANG • ☉ pota? • ??er?. ☿

"" (?) hyle = primordial matter; sang. ♌ = sanguis draconis = dragon's blood, ๏ = aurum potab. = potable gold, symbol=acetum distillation (text=?), ☿ = mercury

• Mantelpiece above furnace:

SAPIENTER RETENTATVM, SVCCEDET ALIQVANDO.

"That which is wisely tried again will succeed sometime."

• Bases of columns at right:

RA/TIO • EXPE/RIEN/TIA.

"Reason" • "Experience."

• Coal basket:

Nõ pudeat/??rbonű

"(?) coal"

• Top of middle stove:

FESTINA/LENTE

"Make haste slowly"

• Right (bain-marie) stove:

Matúrandúm

"" (?)

• Distillation (one word on each vessel):

ama et Spi?

"" (?)

• Tablecloth below musical instruments:

MUSICA SANCTA tristib? spiritúúm? mali/quorum fúga gvili spiritus.../...gaudio pio perfuso.

"The sacred musical (things)" sorrowful?, breath, life, inspiration, pride?, bad (bad people)?, ... flight (by flight)... with joy I venerate the pouring over (with a fluid)?

• Top of green tent:

ORATORIVM/FELIX CVI/ יהוה/A CONSILIS.

"Oratory (place for prayer)"/"Happy is the man"/" God " (in Hebrew )/"by a plan." (by advice)

• Left side of green tent:

HOC HOC AGENTIBVS/NOBIS ADERIT IPSE DEVS.

"When we attend strictly to our work, God himself will aid us."

• Sign hanging under tent:

NE LOQUA/RIS DE DEO/ABSQ. LV./MINE.

"Do not speak of God in the darkness" ( lit. without light) ( Ne loquaris de Deo absque lumine )

• Legs of table under tent:

DISCE BENE MORI

"Learn to die well" (?)

• Above doorway arch:

DORMIENS VIGILA.

"While sleeping, be vigilant."

An Interpretation of the Alchemy Lab Drawing , including select translations.

Transcription of text in the image is copied from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Alchemist%27s_Laboratory%2C_Heinrich_Khunrath%2C_Amphitheatrum_sapientiae_aeternae%2C_1595_3.jpg (several authors), please see its page history .

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