{"product_id":"2026200006652-secondhand-alchemy-the-secret-art","title":"Alchemy: The Secret Art","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition remarks:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBook: Good                          \u003cbr\u003eJacket: No dust jacket\u003cbr\u003ePages: Good         ,          price clipped\u003cbr\u003eMarkings: Previous owner\u003cbr\u003eCondition remarks: Condition as shown in image\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA richly illustrated journey into one of history's most enigmatic and mystical traditions, Alchemy: The Secret Art presents the philosophical and symbolic world of alchemical thought through a stunning collection of rare manuscript illuminations and artwork spanning the medieval and Renaissance periods. Stanislas Klossowski de Rola argues that alchemy was never merely a primitive precursor to chemistry, but rather a profound spiritual discipline concerned with the transformation of the soul as much as the transmutation of base metals into gold. The work details the symbolic language of alchemical imagery — the Philosopher's Stone, the Ouroboros, the marriage of the Sun and Moon — illuminating how these cryptic signs encoded a secret cosmology passed down through centuries of esoteric tradition. Written with both scholarly authority and genuine reverence for its subject, the text strikes a tone that is meditative and awe-inspiring, inviting readers into a world where science, art, and mysticism were inseparable. This landmark volume remains an essential reference for anyone drawn to the history of Western esotericism, occult philosophy, or the visual culture of the pre-modern world.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Secondhand Stock","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48810562420955,"sku":"2026200006652-SECONDHAND","price":40.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0523\/7646\/9701\/files\/455eccee-54a6-4ba2-9354-02f97e14b98f.png?v=1779805142","url":"https:\/\/bookgrocer.com\/products\/2026200006652-secondhand-alchemy-the-secret-art","provider":"Book Grocer","version":"1.0","type":"link"}