Rosarium philosophorum, 8° Ms. chem. 21, c. 1551-1600
The Rosary of the Philosophers (Rosarium philosophorum sive pretiosissimum donum Dei) is a 16th-century alchemical treatise. It was published in 1550 as part II of De Alchimia Opuscula complura veterum philosophorum (Frankfurt). The term rosary in the title is unrelated to the Catholic prayer beads; it refers to a "rose garden”.
- The Mercurial Fountain The fountain of life with three spouts, surrounded by Sol and Luna; the prima materia flows from a single source into the dual waters of mercury—the starting point of the Work.
- King and Queen (First Encounter) Sol and Luna stand clothed, each holding their respective flowers (sun-bloom and lily), greeting one another as separate principles before union.
- The Naked King and Queen The royal pair stand unclothed, having shed worldly vestments; they extend their left hands in marriage while a dove descends—spirit mediating their union.
- The Immersion in the Bath King and Queen descend together into the bath (the vas hermeticum or philosophical vessel); the waters represent dissolution and the return to undifferentiated matter.
- The Conjunction (Coniunctio) The two figures embrace and unite sexually within the bath; this is the sacred marriage, the joining of opposites into one hermaphroditic being.
- Death and Putrefaction (Nigredo) The united body lies dead in the vessel, crowned; the soul departs as a small figure or cloud—this is the blackening, the death required for rebirth.
- The Ascent of the Soul The soul rises upward from the dead body toward the heavens, often depicted as dew or vapor; the volatile principle separates from the fixed.
- Purification in the Clouds The soul is purified in the celestial realm, washed by dew or rain from above; this is the washing (ablutio) and whitening process beginning.
- The Return of the Soul (Descent of Dew) The purified soul descends as dew back into the vessel to revivify the body; spirit returns to matter, bringing life and whiteness.
- The Resurrection (Albedo) The body revives in the vessel, now whitened; the King and Queen are reborn as one figure or as renewed duality—the white stone or lesser work is achieved.
- The Quickening of the Stone The revived hermaphrodite or reunited pair begins to show new vitality; color returns slowly, and the fermentation process begins with the addition of new life.
- The Feeding of the Stone The philosophical child or renewed substance is nourished with milk (lac virginis) or philosophical blood; this is the multiplication and strengthening phase.
- The Citrinitas (Yellowing) The matter takes on a golden-yellow color, a transitional stage between white and red; the solar principle intensifies within the work.
- Further Conjunction and Ripening The substance undergoes repeated cycles of union, dissolution, and coagulation; the vessel is sealed and the heat carefully regulated to ripen the stone.
- The Reddening Begins (Rubedo Initiation) The matter begins to turn red as the final stage approaches; the fire is increased and the solar gold dominates—this is the reddening.
- The Red King (Sulphur) The red king emerges fully formed, representing fixed sulphur and solar consciousness; the masculine principle perfected and made eternal.
- The Crowned Hermaphrodite King and Queen appear as a single crowned androgyne or as two figures perfectly balanced; this is the philosophical rebis, the completed union.
- The Phoenix Rising The phoenix emerges from flames, symbolizing the immortal quintessence and the self-regenerating stone; death and resurrection unified in perpetual renewal.
- The Presentation of the Stone The perfected philosopher's stone is shown, often held aloft or displayed in a vessel; it radiates light and is capable of transmuting metals and healing bodies.
20. The Multiplication and Projection The final image shows the stone's power in action—transmuting base metal into gold or being multiplied infinitely; the Great Work is complete and operative in the world.
“The Rosarium philosophorum (the Rosary of the Philosophers) was first printed at Frankfurt in 1550 as the second part of an alchemical compendium De Alchimia opuscula complura veterum philosophorum. Its has nothing to do with the Catholic idea of the rosary, but this term 'Rosarium' referred to a gathering of sayings of philosophers. The Latin text of the Rosarium is just this, a collection of the sayings of alchemical and other philosophers. The text is in itself quite interesting but it very much enlivened by the inclusion of a series of 20 woodcuts. There is a further woodcut on the title page which shows six philosophers disputing and this links us with the idea of a 'Rosarium' as a collection of their sayings. The series of 20 woodcuts appears with German text (not the Latin of the text of the book) of some verses, and thus it may have been taken from some other printing project for a book in German. We will see later there is a German manuscript with some similar images apparently predating the Rosarium.” - Adam McLean
“The Rosarium, because of its interweaving of soul and physical alchemy, was of particular interest to the psychologist Carl G. Jung, who perhaps quoted from it in his writings upon Alchemy more than any other single text. Jung, indeed, wrote an essay on the Rosarium series of illustrations under the title 'Psychology of the Transference' which is included in Volume 16 of his collected works, and this provides us with a most valuable foundation upon which to construct an interpretation. Jung, however, only shows us 11 of the 20 illustrations. Furthermore, he suggests that figures he labels 5 and 5a (Rosarium illustrations 5 and 11) are alternative versions of the same figure, whereas on examining the full series of 20 illustrations we find this untenable. Perhaps Jung did not have access to a complete edition of the book, but that as often happens over the centuries, some of these illustrations had been removed from his copy. At any rate, Jung's interpretation is based upon seeing the illustrations as 10 stages, whereas as we have seen there are 20. Indeed, if we read again Jung's analysis of the Rosarium, with a consciousness of the existence of the extended series of 20 illustrations, we will find a further level of integration of the masculine and feminine facets of the soul, which does not contradict Jung's thesis, but amplifies and extends it.” - Adam McLean
“Here beginneth the Book of the Rosary of the Philosophers most diligently compiled and brought into one volume.”
We are the beginning and first nature of metals, Art by us maketh the chief tincture. There is no fountain nor water found like unto me. I heal and help both the rich and the poor, But yet I am full of hurtful poison
