Aeson is rejuvenated by having his blood replaced by magic juices in a boiling vat; representing the process of self-destruction in order to attain the elixir of life. Watercolour painting by E.A. Ibbs after Salomon Trismosin.

  • Ibbs, Edith A.
Date:
1900-1909
Reference:
38811i
Part of:
Splendor solis
  • Pictures
  • Online

Available online

view Aeson is rejuvenated by having his blood replaced by magic juices in a boiling vat; representing the process of self-destruction in order to attain the elixir of life. Watercolour painting by E.A. Ibbs after Salomon Trismosin.

Contains: 1 image

Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

You can use this work for any purpose, including commercial uses, without restriction under copyright law. You should also provide attribution to the original work, source and licence. Read more about this licence.

Credit

Aeson is rejuvenated by having his blood replaced by magic juices in a boiling vat; representing the process of self-destruction in order to attain the elixir of life. Watercolour painting by E.A. Ibbs after Salomon Trismosin. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Source: Wellcome Collection.

Selected images from this work

View 2 images

About this work

Also known as

Previous title, replaced June 2023 : A Christ-like figure seated in a boiling vat while a man works a bellows beneath it; representing the process of self-destruction in order to attain the elixir of life. Watercolour painting.

Description

The Harley MS of Splendor solis identifies the man in the vat as Aeson as described by Ovid in Metamorphoses VII, 234-293. Lennep claims that this image is related to a text by the ancient alchemist Zosimos of Panoplis, who writes: "These old sages voluntarily dismembered themselves and boiled the pieces until a perfect decoction took place, in order to change their feeble old age into a state of force and vigour". The image here also has Christian resonances of baptism and resurrection. In alchemy the dove represented the volatile spirit of putrefying matter (Lennep, p. 122)

Publication/Creation

1900-1909

Physical description

1 painting : watercolour ; image 36.9 x 25.3 cm.

Reference

Wellcome Collection 38811i

References note

J. van Lennep, L'alchimie, Brussels 1984, pp. 110-129

Creator/production credits

Painted by Edith Annie Ibbs (1863-1937) on commission from the secretary of the Historical Medical Exhibition organized by Henry S. Wellcome (C.J.S. Thompson), ca. 1907, and subsequently exhibited in the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum, Wigmore Street, London

Reproduction note

After: Salomon Trismosin, Splendor solis, 1582, British Library, Harley ms. 3469, fol. 21v, seventh representation

Exhibitions note

Exhibited in ‘The Cult of Beauty’ at Wellcome Collection, London, 26 October 2023 – 28 April 2024

Type/Technique

Where to find it

  • LocationStatusAccess
    Closed stores

    Note

Permanent link