[Alchimie] Pierre Arnauld, Trois traitez de la philosophie n - Lot 400

[Alchimie] Pierre Arnauld, Trois traitez de la philosophie naturelle non encore imprimez. Scavoir le secret livre du très ancien philosophe Artephius, traitant de l'art occulte & transmutation metallique, latin François, plus les figures hiérogliphiques de Nicolas Flamel... Paris, Guillaume Marette, 1612. In-4, 103p, 1 folding plate (and 8 woodcuts in the text). First edition, printed in two editions. Ferguson (I, 47-48) describes our second printing. "It contains: the princeps edition of "Les figures hierogliphiques", a work presented as a text composed by Nicolas Flamel between 1399 and 1413. In it, Flamel recounts how, for two florins, he acquired a mysterious and ancient book, "all engraved with letters and figures", under the title "Livre d'Abraham le Juif, prince, prêtre lévite, astrologue et philosophe, à la gent des juifs [...]". This treatise, written by a "very learned man", explains the process of the "Great Work". The famous fold-out plate depicts a number of woodcuts forming an archway similar to the one Nicolas Flamel had erected over the mass graves of the Innocents. It is said to contain the process of the "Great Work", concealed beneath allegorical figures. The main subject shows the Eternal Father, with Nicolas Flamel on his right, hands clasped at the feet of Saint Paul. Pernelle, his wife, on the left in the same attitude. Below are various subjects, including a Last Judgment, and, in the lower part of the tympanum, the Massacre of the Innocents. The work contains two additional treatises: "Le livre secret traitant de l'art occulte & de la pierre Philosophale" (Latin and French translation opposite) by Artephius, a medieval alchemist and Hermetic philosopher; and "Le Vray livre de la pierre philosophale" by Synesius, a Greek alchemist, poet and philosopher, bishop of Ptolemais (370-415)." (Hatchuel). Well-preserved contemporary full parchment, yellowed paper, stains on title. Ferguson states that the paper of this edition is of poor quality. A very fine and rare copy.