Hermaphrodite Child
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Magnum Opus Hermetic Sourceworks No. 26. The Hermaphrodite Child of the Sun and Moon Hermaphroditische Sonn- und Monds-Kind was printed in Mainz in 1752. Although the text is relatively obscure and impenetrable, the power of the twelve engravings has captivated audiences, and the fascination with these images endures today. The work was reprinted twenty-seven years later in the well-known German alchemical compendium Hermetisches A.B.C. The work is divided into twelve sections, each headed by an emblematic figure. The text of these sections begins with an 'explanation of the figure,' followed by a short verse, a 'paragraph' with its 'explanation,' and lastly a 'canon' or short verse with its 'explanation.' The main focus of this present book is to provide, for the first time, a translation of the text into English and to suggest ways in which the symbolic sequence of this work can be explored. This series has often been reproduced in modern books on alchemy, though no one seems to have attempted to interpret the work. The engravings contain many familiar alchemical figures, such as the green lion, the raven or black crow, the white swan, the ouroboros, and an abundance of suns and moons. However, it is not easy to tease out an interpretation or find a clear path through the symbols. In his commentary on the Hermaphrodite Child of the Sun and Moon, Adam McLean has adopted the approach he has taken in his other commentaries on works with emblematic sequences in the Magnum Opus editions—exposing the structures underlying the symbolism in the emblem sequence rather than rigorously analyzing the text. Introduction and Commentary by Adam McLeanDate Published: 1998 Page Number: 112 Cover Type: Handbound leather hardback A5 Illustrations: Black and white Edition: Limited Translated by:Mike Brenner, Signed by: Adam McLean |
