Pietro Maria Marchetti. Brescia. 1599.
“This science was named Chemistry or Alchemy. It was always veiled by the wise under fables, figures, and enigmas, so that it might not fall into the hands of mad or greedy men.” — Battista Nazari
A fascinating Renaissance alchemical text in its contemporary paper binding, presenting the knowledge of the period through Nazari’s three dreams and 17 woodcuts.
Three dreamlike journeys transport us, as a dream does, through different levels of interpretation into a spiritual quest reminiscent of Basil Valentine. It distinguishes between false and true alchemy, accompanied by unconscious mechanics revealed through the mystical and mythical imagery of hermetic philosophy.
The impact of this dream-narrative is not limited to a simple chemical message; it offers the delights of a romanesque fiction whose cultural references lead us far beyond the world of "gold-makers," aiming first and foremost at the metamorphosis of the "inner man." (1)
The book is composed of three dreams:
- In the first, erroneous "sophisticated" transmutation is addressed.
- In the second, useful transmutation, called "common real transmutation," is treated.
- In the third, divine transmutation, called "philosophical real transmutation," is examined.
Each dream is accompanied by a comprehensive index detailing the authors and works that have dealt with the subject. These indices lead Della Tramutatione to be considered the very first specialized bibliography of alchemy, testifying to the breadth of the literature of the time. (2)
The 1599 edition is the most complete and accomplished, reworked by the author with the addition of the Concordanza de Filofofì, & loro Prattica. It reveals the degrees and limits of this divine mastery, as well as the true "Composition of Natural Philosophy," through which everything, reduced to its minimum, is brought back to true Solitude and Unity. (3)
Little is known about Battista Nazari; a native of Brescia, he was born in 1533. All trace of him is lost in 1599, the date of this reissue of his three dreams and his Concordanza. For Frank Greiner, Nazari's bibliography bears witness to his erudition through the great diversity of both his interests and his skills.
Quarto (240 x 180 mm); 23 cm untrimmed leaves. [2] blank ff., [1] title f., a1-a4, [4] ff., 232 pp., [2] blank ff. Binding: Contemporary white paper with flaps (limp paper binding) and 3 visible leather ties. Spine with title (partially visible). Author's name on the front cover. White endpapers featuring the publisher's Aldine watermark.
Condition: Contemporary binding; as the title page appears more oxidized than the endpapers, one might suppose the binding post-dates the printing. However, since the endpapers bear the publisher's watermark, the binding could be original. In any case, it is contemporary. The binding is patinated and soiled, having undergone a skilful restoration; the book remains solid. Traces of oxidation, soiling, and coal cinders within the paper. Pen underlines.
(1) L'initiation alchimique de Giovan Battista Nazari. Frank Greiner, 1995.
(2) (3) Bibliotheca chemica. Ferguson, p. 131.
Rosenthal 31-35, 630.
Dorbon. 1975, p. 342.
