Signs, Symbols, Secrets: An Illustrated Guide To Alchemy
-

Signs, Symbols, Secrets: An Illustrated Guide To Alchemy

at Science Museum, London
Passed

This event has been and gone.

If we know of a trusted online shop with tickets available, we will always provide a link to buy from them

Add to your event list

Signs, Symbols, Secrets: An Illustrated Guide To Alchemy

The quest for the philosophers’ stone was a major preoccupation of the early modern world. This precious substance was said to transform base metals into silver and gold, heal sickness, and unlock the mysteries of God and nature. Its recipe was a closely guarded secret and a bewildering array of signs and symbols were used, both figuratively and allegorically, to convey key processes and ideas in the search for the fabled stone. This exhibition follows the theme of a recipe using the same sources devised and decoded by the alchemists themselves.

The exhibition displays 22 of the most striking images from the rich collection of the Science Museum’s Library & Archives. Dating from the 16th to the 18th centuries, these works reveal the power and intricacy of alchemical art, whilst allowing us to attempt an interpretation of the hidden meanings behind the symbols. At the heart of the exhibition is a newly discovered manuscript: a Ripley scroll. These rare scrolls include some of the most complex and fascinating alchemical imagery in existence. For the first time, this object can be viewed alongside selected texts and images from the Museum’s collections.

Rated Excellent

Signs, Symbols, Secrets: An Illustrated Guide To Alchemy image © Plastiques Photography Limited

Science Museum

Exhibition Road
South Kensington
London
SW7 2DD

Disabled Booking:
020 7942 4000

See all events at Science Museum

Signs, Symbols, Secrets: An Illustrated Guide To Alchemy image © Plastiques Photography Limited

Science Museum

Exhibition Road
South Kensington
London
SW7 2DD

Disabled Booking:
020 7942 4000

See all events at Science Museum