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In alchemy, the Magnum Opus or Great Work is a term for the process of working with the prima materia to create the philosopher's stone. It has been used to describe personal and spiritual transmutation in the Hermetic tradition , attached to laboratory processes and chemical color changes, used as a model for the individuation process, and as ...
The philosopher's stone [a] is a mythic alchemical substance capable of turning base metals such as mercury into gold or silver; [b] it was also known as "the tincture" and "the powder". Alchemists additionally believed that it could be used to make an elixir of life which made possible rejuvenation and immortality .
The squared circle: an alchemical symbol (17th century) illustrating the interplay of the four elements of matter symbolising the philosopher's stone. Antimony ♁ (in Newton), also ; Arsenic 🜺 Bismuth ♆ (in Newton), 🜘 (in Bergman) Cobalt (approximately 🜶) (in Bergman) Manganese (in Bergman)
Flamel has been portrayed in popular fiction as a legendary figure who holds the key to immortality or the philosopher's stone. In Victor Hugo 's novel Notre Dame de Paris (1831), the tragic main character Claude Frollo is a young priest and alchemist who spends much of his time studying the carvings in Les Innocents , trying to fathom Flamel's ...
In alchemy and philosophy, prima materia, materia prima or first matter (for a philosophical exposition refer to: Prime Matter), is the ubiquitous starting material required for the alchemical magnum opus and the creation of the philosopher's stone. It is the primitive formless base of all matter similar to chaos, the quintessence or aether.
The Alchemist in Search of the Philosopher's Stone, by Joseph Wright, 1771. Nicolas Flamel is a well-known alchemist to the point where he had many pseudepigraphic imitators. Although the historical Flamel existed, the writings and legends assigned to him only appeared in 1612. [88] [89]
Alchemy was a series of practices that combined philosophical, magical, and chemical experimentation. One goal of European alchemists was to create what was known as the Philosopher’s Stone, a substance that when heated and combined with a non precious metal like copper or iron (known as the “base”) would turn into gold.
The crust formed on the lid was ground to powder and boiled with water to remove the calomel. Calx – calcium oxide; was also used to refer to other metal oxides. Chalcanthum – the residue produced by strongly roasting blue vitriol (copper sulfate); it is composed mostly of cupric oxide. Chalk – a rock composed of porous biogenic calcium ...