manuel cohen

Oratory ceiling, Hotel Lallemant, Bourges, France

Phoenix pecking at the fruits in a horn of plenty, with the bird representing fire and the philosopher's stone, also rebirth and returning to oneself, 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_0674.jpg
Image Size: 4265x4724 / 7.1MB; www.manuelcohen.com; 1495-1518 15th century 16th century alchemical alchemist alchemy alchimie architectural detail Berry bird Bourges carved ceiling Centre Val de Loire Centre-Val de Loire Cher coffered color colour cornucopia detail eating Europe European fire France French fruit Fulcanelli heritage historic monument history horn of plenty Hotel Lallemant house 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 pecking philosophers stone phoenix process rebirth relief Renaissance sculptural detail section square image stone symbol symbolism view from below Western Europe Western European
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Phoenix pecking at the fruits in a horn of plenty, with the bird representing fire and the philosopher's stone, also rebirth and returning to oneself, 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