London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co., LTD., 1920. — 104 p.
’’Splendor Solis’’ is a seminal manuscript about alchemy, essentially a medieval precursor to modern chemistry that was based around the principles of converting base metals into noble medals with the assistance of contact with the spiritual world and heavenly forces. The original manuscript, dated between 1532 and 1535, is now located at a museum in Germany. There are twenty copies of the colourful manuscript that exist, now housed in many of the world's great museums.
Salomon Trismosin is credited as the author of the manuscript. Little is known of Trismosin, but he is sometimes said to be the teacher of Renaissance alchemist and physician Paracelsus. This edition of ’’Splendor Solis’’, which includes photographs of the manuscript's original 22 paintings, is presented with an introduction, as well as textual descriptions and elucidations of the 22 paintings, and explanatory notes by an editor referred to as J.K.
Unfortunately, many of the reproductions of the 22 images contained within are faded. It is thus greatly beneficial that this collection includes text descriptions of each painting, as these descriptions definitely serve to illuminate the finer details of the images that could never be captured in a reproduction.
’’Splendor Solis’’ is a classic of alchemical literature. Those interested in alchemy are surely familiar with this work, and will value the opportunity to add this book to their collection.
