George Ripley (attrib.) — 16th century, end; English

Title

George Ripley (attrib.) — 16th century, end; English

Shelfmark

MS. Ash. Rolls 52

Place of origin

English

Date

16th century, end

Language

English

Latin

Contents

Form

roll

Support

paper

Decoration

Good miniatures (coloured drawings), copies of a MS. of 15th century. (Pächt and Alexander iii. 1209) The process for preparing the philosopher's stone in four scenes: (1) alchemist with hermetic vessel with eight roundels depicting stages in the alchemical process; (2) 'philosophical tree' and grape vine planted in the centre of a heptagonal basin; the basin is surmounted by parapets upon which seven human figures examine contents of beakers which they hold; this is supported by a column rising from a lower square pool, the front of which is decorated with a toad-spewing griffin; nude male and female figures ascend and descend the 'tree' or simply stand in water; (3) two lions flanking the mouth of a furnace; sun; bird with the head of an old man crowned and bearded, standing on a globe; (4) sunburst design with three linked coloured circles; crescent moon, held in the jaws of a dragon, perched on a winged globe; the dragon's blood descending to three circles at the bottom of the globe; text flanked by two human figures, a king and a commoner, with staffs.