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Michael Maier's Atalanta Fugiens: Sources of an Alchemical Book of Emblems
Michael Maier was a 17th-century alchemist and physician to the court of Emperor Rudolf II in Prague. Between 1614 and his death in 1622, Maier published a number of alchemical works, of which Atalanta Fugiens was undoubtedly the richest and most important. First published in 1617, it is one of the finest alchemical emblem books and unique in its own right.
Michael Maier's work is richly illustrated with original prints by M. Merian; each of the 50 emblems presented consists of a motto, print, epigram, and a three-part musical setting of the epigram, followed by an exposition of its meaning.
In the new publication of this important 17th-century work, Dr. H. M. E. de Jong translates the mottos and epigrams of the original 50 emblems and provides a summary of both Maier's exposition and a commentary on each emblem. She discuses the meaning and importance of the Atalanta Fugiens, the sources Maier used, and the mutual relationships between the emblems. She also includes an additional 30 alchemical engravings that explain her research, including several hard-to-find foldouts reproduced here in this volume.
Michael Maier's work is richly illustrated with original prints by M. Merian; each of the 50 emblems presented consists of a motto, print, epigram, and a three-part musical setting of the epigram, followed by an exposition of its meaning.
In the new publication of this important 17th-century work, Dr. H. M. E. de Jong translates the mottos and epigrams of the original 50 emblems and provides a summary of both Maier's exposition and a commentary on each emblem. She discuses the meaning and importance of the Atalanta Fugiens, the sources Maier used, and the mutual relationships between the emblems. She also includes an additional 30 alchemical engravings that explain her research, including several hard-to-find foldouts reproduced here in this volume.
461 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1617
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About the author
Michael Maier
127 books17 followersMichael Maier was a physician, alchemist, and amateur composer who served as counselor to Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II Habsburg. His writings were a significant influence on Elias Ashmole and Isaac Newton.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 19, 2022
Este debe ser uno de los libros más hermosos que he leído, musical, enigmático, indescifrable. Una obra que va mucho más allá de ser un libro (texto), el termino libro se queda corto, tal vez la palabra testamento funciona mejor, testamento alquímico.
January 26, 2015
A obra original de Maier mereceria a máxima nota, polo seu grande simboliamo alquímico e filosófico e polo seu uso inédito da música como acompanhante dum texto "multimédia" no século XVI.
Porém os comentários desta edição hermenéutica espanhola são confusos, pobres e mui repetitivos. Disfarça de profundidade filosófica-mágica a sua incapacidade para decodificar muitas das referências a processos químicos na obra. Há explicações de emblemas que são simplesmente a terceira ou quarta cópia do mesmo paragrafo.
Porém os comentários desta edição hermenéutica espanhola são confusos, pobres e mui repetitivos. Disfarça de profundidade filosófica-mágica a sua incapacidade para decodificar muitas das referências a processos químicos na obra. Há explicações de emblemas que são simplesmente a terceira ou quarta cópia do mesmo paragrafo.
May 23, 2012
Ok, so I didn't actually read this edition, so I can't speak to the scores for the fugues. However, I found the text and engravings incredibly interesting, and there is a wonderful recording of the fugues available for pretty cheap. Of course, this is no substitute for having the score to study, but I love this text and I will be purchasing this particular edition ASAP.
June 17, 2019
A succinct and highly readable book. This is a perfect launching pad for future readings of alchemical materials for those who are interested in the Art.
October 17, 2025
“A practical alchemist of our time said to the author: ‘I am convinced that the alchemist would be able to change lead into gold if he were pure enough in his whole life. But he is not pure enough in this very deep sense. And therefore he has to work for this goal each day, practically and spiritually. If he should reach this goal he would no longer need the transmutation process.’”
This book was recommended to me as an interesting source on early music and the fugue tradition. And I did find it interesting in that regard, as well as for its Latin language verses and lovely engravings. But ultimately, I hesitate to wholeheartedly recommend picking up this specific edition. While “Atalanta Fugiens” is a great work of art, and full of poetic mystery, the introduction and other explanatory text provided is a bit too…uncritical for my taste. The presentation is breathless, gullible, and unironic, which I didn't think was possible for modern people discussing a 17th Century alchemical text, but here we are. The publisher of this edition does seem to specialize in spiritual and/or esoteric works, and not art history or anything of that nature, so I guess it makes sense, but still…reader beware, lol.
This book was recommended to me as an interesting source on early music and the fugue tradition. And I did find it interesting in that regard, as well as for its Latin language verses and lovely engravings. But ultimately, I hesitate to wholeheartedly recommend picking up this specific edition. While “Atalanta Fugiens” is a great work of art, and full of poetic mystery, the introduction and other explanatory text provided is a bit too…uncritical for my taste. The presentation is breathless, gullible, and unironic, which I didn't think was possible for modern people discussing a 17th Century alchemical text, but here we are. The publisher of this edition does seem to specialize in spiritual and/or esoteric works, and not art history or anything of that nature, so I guess it makes sense, but still…reader beware, lol.
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May 18, 2023Está re-diver este libro, místico y oscuro aunque amigables su divagaciones además de el plus que en YouTube se pueden encontrar los ensambles de las fugas.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews