Astrology, Magic, and Alchemy in Art

Astrology, Magic, and Alchemy in Art PDF Author: Matilde Battistini
Publisher: Getty Publications
ISBN: 9780892369072
Category : Alchemy in art
Languages : en
Pages : 384

Book Description
From antiquity to the Enlightenment, astrology, magic, and alchemy were considered important tools to unravel the mysteries of nature and human destiny. As a result of the West's exposure during the Middle Ages to the astrological beliefs of Arab philosophers and the mystical writings of late antiquity, these occult traditions became rich sources of inspiration for Western artists. In this latest volume in the popular Guide to Imagery series, the author presents a careful analysis of occult iconography in many of the great masterpieces of Western art, calling out key features in the illustrations for discussion and interpretation. Astrological symbols decorated medieval churches and illuminated manuscripts as well as fifteenth-century Italian town halls and palaces. The transformational zymology of magic and alchemy that enlivened the work of a wide range of Renaissance artists, including Bosch, Brueghel, D: urer, and Caravaggio, found renewed expression in the visionary works of nineteenth-century artists, such as Fuseli and Blake, as well as in the creative output of the twentieth century's Surrealists.

Symbols of Power in Art

Symbols of Power in Art PDF Author: Paola Rapelli
Publisher: Getty Publications
ISBN: 160606066X
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 386

Book Description
This volume examines the ways that sovereign rulers have employed well-defined symbols, attributes, and stereotypes to convey their power to their subjects and rivals, as well as to leave a legacy for subsequent generations to admire. Legendary rulers from antiquity such as Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and Constantine have been looked to as models for their display of imperial power by the rulers of later eras. From medieval sovereigns such as Charlemagne and France's Louis IX to the tsars of Russia and the great European royal dynasties of the Hapsburgs, the Bourbons, and the Tudors, the rulers of each period have appropriated and often embellished the emblems of power employed by their predecessors. Even the second-tier lords who ruled parts of France and Italy during the Renaissance, such as the dukes of Burgundy, the Gonzaga of Mantua, and the Medici of Florence became adept at manipulating this imagery. The final chapter is reserved for Napoleon I, perhaps the ultimate master of symbolic display, who assumed the attributes of Roman emperors to project an image of eternal and immutable authority. The author examines not only regal paraphernalia such as crowns, scepters, thrones, and orbs, but also the painted portraits, sculptures, tapestries, carved ivories, jewelry, coins, armor, and, eventually, photographs created to display their owner's sovereign power, a vast collection of works that now forms a significant portion of the cultural heritage of Western civilization.

The Theatre of the World

The Theatre of the World PDF Author: Peter H. Marshall
Publisher: Emblem Editions
ISBN: 0771056915
Category : Holy Roman Empire
Languages : en
Pages : 290

Book Description
A captivating portrait of the crucible of magic, science, and religion at the court of the doomed dreamer Rudolf II in Renaissance Prague. At the end of the sixteenth century, the greatest philosophers, alchemists, astronomers, and mathematicians of the day flocked to Prague to work under the patronage of the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II. The Theatre of the World is the enchanting story of Rudolf II, an emperor more interested in the great talents and minds of his times than in the exercise of his power. Rarely leaving Prague Castle, he gathered around him a galaxy of famous figures: the Italian painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo, the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, the German mathematician Johannes Kepler, and the English magus John Dee. Entranced, like Hamlet, by the new Renaissance learning, Rudolf found it nearly impossible to make decisions. He faced the threats of religious discord and the Ottoman Empire, along with deepening melancholy and an ambitious younger brother. As a result, he lost his empire and nearly his sanity, but he enabled Prague to enjoy a golden age of peace and creativity before Europe was engulfed in the Thirty Years War. "The Theatre of the World" is a beguiling and dramatic human story filled with angels and devils, high art and low cunning, talismans and stars. It offers a captivating perspective on a pivotal moment in the history of Western Civilization. "From the Hardcover edition."

The Celestial Art

The Celestial Art PDF Author: Demetra George
Publisher: Western Esotericism in Context
ISBN: 9781945147173
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 304

Book Description
Before its modern incarnation of predictive horoscopy, Astrology was in centuries past integrated with science, magic, mysticism and philosophy. In this groundbreaking anthology, ten of today's most influential esoteric astrologers write concerning Astrology's hidden occult aspects, from herbalism to witchcraft, to philosophy and practical sorcery. Contributing authors include Demetra George, Austin Coppock, John Michael Greer, Jason Miller, Freedom Cole, Benjamin Dykes, Daniel Schulke, Al Cummins, Lee Lehman, Eric Purdue, and Mallorie Vaudoise.

Symbols and Allegories in Art

Symbols and Allegories in Art PDF Author: Matilde Battistini
Publisher: Getty Publications
ISBN: 9780892368181
Category : Allegories
Languages : en
Pages : 384

Book Description
"The purpose of this volume is to provide today's readers and museum-goers with a tool for orienting themselves in the world of images and learning to read the hidden meanings of certain famous paintings."--Introduction.

Alchemist in Life Literature and Art

Alchemist in Life Literature and Art PDF Author: John Read
Publisher: Ams PressInc
ISBN: 9780404184865
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 100

Book Description
As is now shown more concisely in this book, mythology and religion, astrology and magic, mysticism and science, literature and art, and many another ingredient-including even music-have contributed to the rise and development of alchemy, and hence of chemistry, the most romantic and picturesque of all the manifold fields of science. The alchemist is first considered realistically in relation to his working background of alchemy, with its intriguing theories and conceptions, its vast literature, and its wealth of cryptic expression and pictorial symbolism. Contents: Alchemy and Alchemists: Nature and Origin of Alchemy, Alchemical Theory, Some Alchemical Tenets, Operations of the Great Work, Alchemical Expression and Symbolism, Types of Alchemists; The Alchemist in Literature: An Alchemist among the Canterbury Pilgrims, An Alchemist in Jacobean London, An Alchemist tells of Himself; The Alchemist in Art: Durer's "Melencolia," Weiditz, Brueghel, Stradanus, de Bry, The Mystical Alchemist in Art, Teniers, van Ostade, Steen, Bega, Wijick, Other Dutch Painters, A Spanish Alchemical Painting, Later Alchemical Paintings, Wright of Derby.

The Theatre of the World

The Theatre of the World PDF Author: Peter Marshall
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780771056901
Category : Holy Roman Empire
Languages : en
Pages : 276

Book Description
A captivating portrait of the crucible of magic, science, and religion at the court of the doomed dreamer Rudolf II in Renaissance Prague. At the end of the sixteenth century, the greatest philosophers, alchemists, astronomers, and mathematicians of the day flocked to Prague to work under the patronage of the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II. The Theatre of the World is the enchanting story of Rudolf II, an emperor more interested in the great talents and minds of his times than in the exercise of his power. Rarely leaving Prague Castle, he gathered around him a galaxy of famous figures: the Italian painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo, the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, the German mathematician Johannes Kepler, and the English magus John Dee. Entranced, like Hamlet, by the new Renaissance learning, Rudolf found it nearly impossible to make decisions. He faced the threats of religious discord and the Ottoman Empire, along with deepening melancholy and an ambitious younger brother. As a result, he lost his empire and nearly his sanity, but he enabled Prague to enjoy a golden age of peace and creativity before Europe was engulfed in the Thirty Years War. "The Theatre of the World" is a beguiling and dramatic human story filled with angels and devils, high art and low cunning, talismans and stars. It offers a captivating perspective on a pivotal moment in the history of Western Civilization.

The Art Cosmic

The Art Cosmic PDF Author: Levi Rowland
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781733246620
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 316

Book Description
Astrology has been found in civilizations worldwide and throughout history. It has greatly influenced the philosophy, religion, art, and magic of Western culture and has inspired countless decisions and guided people in their daily lives. Traditional Western astrology differs from your typical daily Sun-sign horoscopes. While it still follows the course of the Zodiac through the Heavens, it grounds itself in the seven classical planets-great celestial spheres that the ancients gazed upon for guidance and wisdom. Traditional astrology is a holistic framework that melds the influence of the stars with your experience here on Earth to help you understand the Cosmos, your place within it, and the power to transform your fate. With it, you can integrate the entire vision of the Heavens into your magical and divinatory practices, for traditional Astrology is the cosmic playing field upon which both magic and divination intertwine. The power of astrology is a path for humans to understand the sacred. You aren't just naming stars. You are naming and discovering gods. You are seeking angels. You are seeing reflections of your own experience, your hopes and fears. By working with the systems of astrology and its magic, you can connect to the infinite chain of divinity in creation and find within your own microcosmic soul that golden light that tethers you to the macrocosmic soul of the All!

Magic and Alchemy

Magic and Alchemy PDF Author: Robert Michael Place
Publisher: Infobase Publishing
ISBN: 0791093905
Category : Alchemy
Languages : en
Pages : 144

Book Description
The word 'magic' evokes many ideas, from a stage magician performing illusions to the pyrotechnics of witches and wizards depicted in movies and on television. This book covers the history, practices, and philosophies of magic and alchemy in Western history. It also looks at the tools used by magicians and alchemists.
Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: Rits Blog by Crimson Themes.