manuel cohen

Oratory ceiling, Hotel Lallemant, Bourges, France

Lion's head with a vase, tipping due to the tearing of a string held in the lion's mouth, from the coffered ceiling of the Oratory, carved in stone with 30 sections, each relating to a process in alchemy, in the Hotel Lallemant, a mansion built 1495-1518 in French Renaissance style by the Lallemant merchant family, in Bourges, Centre Val de Loire, France. This section represents the successful fixing of sulphur and the warning of not pushing the multiplication of elements too far (the lion still holds the string). The sculptural decoration on the building, made by both French and Italian sculptors, has been interpreted by Fulcanelli and others as having an alchemical symbolism. Since 1951 the building has housed the Musee des Arts Decoratifs and it was listed as a historic monument in 1840. Picture by Manuel Cohen

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Filename: LC17_FRANCE_MC_0668.jpg
Image Size: 4319x4724 / 6.4MB; www.manuelcohen.com; 1495-1518 15th century 16th century alchemical alchemist alchemy alchimie architectural detail Berry Bourges carved ceiling Centre Val de Loire Centre-Val de Loire Cher coffered color colour crucible detail element Europe European fire fixing flame France French Fulcanelli heritage historic monument history Hotel Lallemant house image indoors inside interior interpretation l'hotel Lallemant Lallemand Lallemant Lallemant family lion Loire looking up manor house mansion monument historique multiplication Musee des Arts Decoratifs museum mystery oratory process relief Renaissance sculptural detail section square image stone string sulphur symbol symbolism tipping vase view from below Western Europe Western European
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Lion's head with a vase, tipping due to the tearing of a string held in the lion's mouth, from the coffered ceiling of the Oratory, carved in stone with 30 sections, each relating to a process in alchemy, in the Hotel Lallemant, a mansion built 1495-1518 in French Renaissance style by the Lallemant merchant family, in Bourges, Centre Val de Loire, France. This section represents the successful fixing of sulphur and the warning of not pushing the multiplication of elements too far (the lion still holds the string). The sculptural decoration on the building, made by both French and Italian sculptors, has been interpreted by Fulcanelli and others as having an alchemical symbolism. Since 1951 the building has housed the Musee des Arts Decoratifs and it was listed as a historic monument in 1840. Picture by Manuel Cohen