Bilder Ulisse Aldrovandi (1522-1605) – Arsenic or the Coiled Serpent – engraving (1648)

Beskrivning

"Arsenicum. Hüttenrauch." depicts a coiled serpent on a small mound of earth, serving as an alchemical symbol for arsenic. This engraving was published in Bologna in 1648 within the Musaeum Metallicum, a posthumous work printed by Giovanni Battista Ferroni. The central image is flanked by columns of gothic letterpress text that provide commentary on the substance's mineralogical properties and alchemical preparations. In seventeenth-century scientific illustration, the serpent was frequently used to represent volatile or toxic elements like arsenic due to its symbolic associations with danger and transformation.

Ulisse Aldrovandi was a celebrated italian naturalist and professor at the University of Bologna who is considered a founding father of modern natural history. He dedicated his life to the systematic collection and classification of thousands of specimens from the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms. His massive personal museum and research library provided the foundation for a monumental series of illustrated scientific volumes. Aldrovandi's work was essential in transitioning natural science from classical lore to empirical observation during the late renaissance.

Artist or Maker: Ulisse Aldrovandi.

Dimensions: Approximately 32 cm x 19 cm.

Medium: engraving.

Date: 1648.

Condition Report:
This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.