manuel cohen

Oratory ceiling, Hotel Lallemant, Bourges, France

Ball of fire, possibly a burning stone, in a carved cup, with 3R representing the extraction of igneous sulphur by a triple reiteration and possibly a pomegranate representing fertility (a symbol also found elsewhere in the building), 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. 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_0661.JPG
Image Size: 4256x4724 / 5.4MB; www.manuelcohen.com; 1495-1518 15th century 16th century 3R alchemical alchemist alchemy alchimie architectural detail ball of fire Berry Bourges burning burning stone carved ceiling Centre Val de Loire Centre-Val de Loire Cher coffered color colour cup detail Europe European extraction fertility fire flame France French Fulcanelli heritage historic monument history Hotel Lallemant house igneous sulphur image indoors inside interior interpretation l'hotel Lallemant Lallemand Lallemant Lallemant family Loire looking up manor house mansion monument historique Musee des Arts Decoratifs museum mystery oratory pomegranate process relief Renaissance sculptural detail section square image stone symbol symbolism triple reiteration view from below Western Europe Western European
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Ball of fire, possibly a burning stone, in a carved cup, with 3R representing the extraction of igneous sulphur by a triple reiteration and possibly a pomegranate representing fertility (a symbol also found elsewhere in the building), 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. 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