Manuscripts : Sammlung Alchymistischer Schriften

Corsini, Theobaldo, Hubert, Johann Joseph

Manuscripts

<p style='text-align: justify;'>The Sammlung Alchymistischer Schriften, an eighteenth century German collection of six alchemical and philosophical writings showcases a fascinating blend of cryptographic ingenuity and artistic detail in the Rosicrucian and Hermetic tradition. The Great Work or Magnum Opus is the process of working with the 'prima materia' (the fundamental, formless base of all matter) to create the philosopher's stone. The manuscript features partially enciphered text, accompanied by a <a dir='auto' href='' onclick='store.loadPage(226);return false;'>key (clavis)</a>, with encoded sections highlighted in red for emphasis. Richly illustrated, it includes 37 full page miniatures of strange beasts, bizarre scenes, and intricate alchemical symbols, offering a vivid visual counterpart to its enigmatic content.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Attributed to Theobald Corsini and Johann Joseph Hubert, Baron von Conrath. These figures, pseudonymous or totally fictitious, reflect a common feature of early modern alchemical writing in which legendary or fabricated identities were used to convey mystical authority. Conrath is described as having achieved the Philosopher’s Stone four times between 1460 and 1713, over a lifespan of 283 years. These claims, though fantastical, are emblematic of alchemical traditions where symbolic truth often supersedes historical fact.</p>