Art in Antiquity
"The importance of the very idea of transformation cannot be stressed
enough. That the substances of the earth are not fixed in composition but
are mutable under human influence is a phenomenal realization.” (Ball)
(Elkins)
“ALCHEMY is the art that knows how to make a substance no formula can
describe. And it knows the particular turmoil of thoughts that find expression in
colors. Alchemy is the old science of struggling with materials, and not
quite understanding what is happening…exactly as every painter does
each day in the studio.”
“… the ingredients of painting have never been too different from those of
alchemy.”
“…instead of learning words, painters learn substances….That is the
problem that confronts artists, because they are interested in nuances of
mixture…That close observation is sometimes lost today, when we think we
know what substances are. But artists and alchemists have to keep their eye
on everything, because they do not know what to expect.”
Three aims of the alchemists:
The Great Work = the search for the Philosopher’s Stone, or the Stone,
or the Tincture
- highly abstract and allegorical, highly complicated with many steps
(see alchemical texts to the Great work on McLean’s site)
- refers to an ideal, something more pure than any actual material,
- may have also been a symbol for Christ for some alchemists; like
Christ, could transform the imperfect, base metals, into purity, i.e. gold.
- general belief that the elements of mercury, sulfur and salt (note, an
element to alchemists) were components of all matter, including the
Stone.
Transmutation: interconversion of substances, with the purpose of
returning materials to most pure state, i.e., gold.
To the medieval alchemist’s mind the different elements were but the
same original substance in varying degrees of purity.
Astrology and Numerology: 7 metals, 7 planets
Mercury
Silver
Gold
Lead
Iron
Copper
Tin
 Mercury
 Moon
 Sun
 Saturn
 Mars
 Venus
 Jupiter
Two classes of those who did alchemy
” laborants (apothecaries and pharmacists) "puffers whose brains were
troubled with the smoke of their own furnaces"
chrysopoeian adepti : "scholars" of transformation for spiritual clarity, who
sought theory amid alchemy
laboratory: from labor\: labor, daily struggle with substances and ora: "to
pray" ; indicates accurate perspective of alchemical work to spiritual life:
meditating and inward looking
color is the crucial link between laborants and adepti. Color was their chief
indicator of transformation. Alchemy influences art as a practical craft of
transformation to provide colors for artists
For alchemists, the world was made of substances
Alchemical Table of Elements
Symbol Alchemical name Chemical name
Lye
Blue Vitriol
Green Vitriol
salt
cinnabar
verdigris
Chemical symbol
Copper
Sodium hydroxide
Cu
NaOH
(potassium hydroxide)
(KOH)
Copper sulfate
Iron sulfate
CuSO4
FeSO4
? sodium chloride
potassium chloride
(any cation) (any anion)
mercury sulfide
NaCl
KCl
Neutral copper acetate
Basic copper acetate
Cu(O2C2H3)2
Cu2(O2C2H3)3 .OH
HgS
Medieval Art, Medieval Materials
Art in Medieval Era
• Culturally, move from antiquity towards middle ages associated with the
impact of Christianity
• Medieval art largely devotional, done by monks, with a limited palette, and like
alchemy, steeped in symbolism.
• majority of art is religious and done by the religious: monks. Monks, who were
also alchemists, learned methods of pigment handling and manufacture.
• Later in Middle Ages, painting moved away from religion to secular realm. Art
became associated with trades & guilds, but still tied to alchemists. As such art
was considered a lowly trade, below music and poetry.
Medieval media:
Wood panel surfaced with size then gesso (CaSO4=gypsum, or chalk +glue) t
Fresco also used tempera
Stained glass
Enamels (glazes, essentially glasses, on metals)
pigments list:
blues:
green:
red:
yellow: