1665 - Albertus Magnus' Treatises on Women and Natural Magic
An intriguing and sought-after edition of the popular and controversial text attributed to the renowned medieval scholar Albertus Magnus, De Secretis Mulierum (On the Secrets of Women). This 1665 Amsterdam printing by Johannes Janssonius the Younger delves into the traditional understanding of female physiology, generation, and the purported occult properties associated with women.
Beyond the core text on the "secrets of women," this volume includes the supplementary treatise De Virtutibus Herbarum Lapidum et Animalium (On the Virtues of Herbs, Stones, and Animals). This section aligns with the broader medieval and Renaissance interest in the hidden virtues and sympathetic correspondences within the natural world – a cornerstone of early magical and alchemical thought. Herein, the reader will find discussions on the occult powers inherent in plants, the talismanic properties of stones, and the symbolic and practical applications of animal substances.
The engraved title page, with its depiction of putti amidst natural elements, hints at the Renaissance fascination with the interplay between the celestial and terrestrial realms, a key concept within Hermeticism and natural magic. The woodcut initials and headpieces further contribute to the aesthetic and period feel of the book, immersing the reader in the visual culture of the 17th century, a time of significant intellectual and esoteric ferment.
Albertus Magnus [Attributed]. De Secretis Mulierum Item De Virtutibus Herbarum Lapidum et Animalium. Amstelodami [Amsterdam]: Apud Ioannem Ianssonium Juniorem. Small octavo (Small 8vo). [2] 358. 12 index. [4]. Bound in contemporary or early vellum, likely Dutch. Title page with an allegorical engraved border featuring putti and natural imagery. Front vellum partially detached from boards.
An intriguing and sought-after edition of the popular and controversial text attributed to the renowned medieval scholar Albertus Magnus, De Secretis Mulierum (On the Secrets of Women). This 1665 Amsterdam printing by Johannes Janssonius the Younger delves into the traditional understanding of female physiology, generation, and the purported occult properties associated with women.
Beyond the core text on the "secrets of women," this volume includes the supplementary treatise De Virtutibus Herbarum Lapidum et Animalium (On the Virtues of Herbs, Stones, and Animals). This section aligns with the broader medieval and Renaissance interest in the hidden virtues and sympathetic correspondences within the natural world – a cornerstone of early magical and alchemical thought. Herein, the reader will find discussions on the occult powers inherent in plants, the talismanic properties of stones, and the symbolic and practical applications of animal substances.
The engraved title page, with its depiction of putti amidst natural elements, hints at the Renaissance fascination with the interplay between the celestial and terrestrial realms, a key concept within Hermeticism and natural magic. The woodcut initials and headpieces further contribute to the aesthetic and period feel of the book, immersing the reader in the visual culture of the 17th century, a time of significant intellectual and esoteric ferment.
Albertus Magnus [Attributed]. De Secretis Mulierum Item De Virtutibus Herbarum Lapidum et Animalium. Amstelodami [Amsterdam]: Apud Ioannem Ianssonium Juniorem. Small octavo (Small 8vo). [2] 358. 12 index. [4]. Bound in contemporary or early vellum, likely Dutch. Title page with an allegorical engraved border featuring putti and natural imagery. Front vellum partially detached from boards.
An intriguing and sought-after edition of the popular and controversial text attributed to the renowned medieval scholar Albertus Magnus, De Secretis Mulierum (On the Secrets of Women). This 1665 Amsterdam printing by Johannes Janssonius the Younger delves into the traditional understanding of female physiology, generation, and the purported occult properties associated with women.
Beyond the core text on the "secrets of women," this volume includes the supplementary treatise De Virtutibus Herbarum Lapidum et Animalium (On the Virtues of Herbs, Stones, and Animals). This section aligns with the broader medieval and Renaissance interest in the hidden virtues and sympathetic correspondences within the natural world – a cornerstone of early magical and alchemical thought. Herein, the reader will find discussions on the occult powers inherent in plants, the talismanic properties of stones, and the symbolic and practical applications of animal substances.
The engraved title page, with its depiction of putti amidst natural elements, hints at the Renaissance fascination with the interplay between the celestial and terrestrial realms, a key concept within Hermeticism and natural magic. The woodcut initials and headpieces further contribute to the aesthetic and period feel of the book, immersing the reader in the visual culture of the 17th century, a time of significant intellectual and esoteric ferment.
Albertus Magnus [Attributed]. De Secretis Mulierum Item De Virtutibus Herbarum Lapidum et Animalium. Amstelodami [Amsterdam]: Apud Ioannem Ianssonium Juniorem. Small octavo (Small 8vo). [2] 358. 12 index. [4]. Bound in contemporary or early vellum, likely Dutch. Title page with an allegorical engraved border featuring putti and natural imagery. Front vellum partially detached from boards.