1.1 Ibn Sallūm’s two ways of distilling through the technique of bain-marie. 1.1.a. First method of distillation using a bain-marie. The inner receptacle is deeply immersed in the water that is contained in the outer receptacle. From bottom to top: copper vessel filled with water (A, ināʾ min al-nuḥās), the gourd (B, qarʿa) is inserted into an opening on the flat lid (C, ġiṭāʾ musaṭṭaḥ), the alembic is attached to it (D, inbīq), and this, in turn, is attached to the receptacle that collects the distillate (E, qābila). 1.1.b. Second method of distillation using a bain-marie. The inner receptacle is suspended above the water by means of a stand (F, manṣib) that is placed inside the outer receptacle.
The upper part of the distillation device remains the same 26
2.1 MS Marcianus gr. 299, fol. 195v as reproduced and interpreted by Marcelin Berthelot, Charles-Émile Ruelle, Collection des anciens alchimistes grecs (Paris, 1887–1888), vol. 1, p. 146 41
2.2 Solar calcination of antimony, Le Fèvre, Traicté de la chymie (Paris, 1660) 47
2.3 Triple vessel in Newton’s handwritten copy of Flamel’s Exposition of the Hierogyphical Figures (Ms. Var. 259), fol. 3.1v. The Chymistry of Isaac Newton:
2.4 Daniel Stolz von Stolzenberg, Hortolus Hermeticus (Frankfurt, 1637), p. 9: Emblems dedicated to Hermes, Adfar, Cleopatra and Medera 61
3.1 Women squeezing whey out of the mass of curd. Royal Society, CI.P/3i/22 79
3.2 Tacuinum sanitatis: Recocta. Cod. Ser. n. 2644, fol. 62r. Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek 80
3.3 Women milking cows and making butter and cheese. Cycle of the Months, June (detail). Castle of Buonconsiglio, Trent, The Month of June (late fourteenth century) 81
4.1 The Countess of Arundel, Daniel Mytens, c.1618. National Portrait Gallery, London 96
4.2 Wenceslaus Hollar, Tart Hall, c.1640, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 101
4.3 Francisco Zurbaran, The House in Nazareth, c.1630, Cleveland Museum of Art 105
4.4 Two women and a man work at distilling plants and herbs, Wellcome Collection 108
4.5 Diego Velazquez, Old Woman Cooking Eggs, c.1618, National Galleries Scotland 110
4.6 Brass chafing dish, c.17th century, Victoria & Albert Museum 112
4.7 Abraham Hondius, The Monkey and the Cat, c.17th century, Cleveland Museum of Art 116
5.1 Venetian apothecaries 125
5.2 Rome, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, R.I.IV.1551 (int. 86), Marietta Colochi’s anti-plague recipes 130
5.3 Wellcome Library, Ms. 3777, Margaret Paston’s Recipes Book, f. 26v. One of the many occasions on which Margaret speaks of her ‘fondaria’ or ‘foundry’ 139
5.4 Wellcome Library, Ms. 3777, c. 3r. Reference to the baker’s oven and to the gemstone grinding wheel used in the preparation of bezuard powder balls 140
5.5 Wellcome Library, Ms. 3777, c. 7v. Reference to the use of the baker’s oven 140
5.6 Wellcome Library, Ms. 3777, c. 36r. Transmission of important knowledge to the heirs who, in Margaret’s hopes, will run her foundry 140
5.7 Wellcome Library, Ms. 3777, c. 64v. Margaret says she is confused and distracted while her writing becomes more cursive 140
5.8 Wellcome Library, Ms. 3777, c. 91r. Medicinal remedies from the protomedico Iseppo Ton 141
5.9 Wellcome Library, Ms. 3777, c. 126r. The recipes become shorter and shorter, the cartulation is misspelled (from c.1010 [but 110] to the end of the remedies, c.1027 [but 127]) 141
5.10 Gazzetta veneta of 4 June 1760, p. 4. Advertisement in which Lucietta Visomio announces that she is producing and keeping for sale at home the well-known plaster cerotto del Sig. Antonio 149
5.11 Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Sanità, Rapporti medici, b. 588, 24 agosto 1771. Protomedico Giambattista Paitoni enthusiastically evaluates Elisabetta Amorosi Manini’s antiscorbutic remedy 151
6.1 The Bologna Academy of Sciences. De Bononiensi Scientiarum et Artium Instituto atque Academia Commentarii (Bologna, 1748) 164
6.2 The Palazzo Carafa dei Maddaloni in Naples. Pompeo Sarnelli and Antonio Bulifon, Guida de’ forastieri: curiosi di vedere, e d’intendere le cose più notabili della regal città di Napoli, e del suo amenissimo distretto (Naples, 1697 ed.), engraving by Bulifon between pp. 44–45 166
6.3 The Academy of Monte Caprario founded by Francesco Carafa at Formicola. Francesco Carafa, Il Caprario. Accademia di diversi rimatori, che nel medesimo monte si radunarano (Naples, 1729) 172
6.4a–b Faustina Pignatelli’s anonymous solutions to four mathematical problems, 1734. [Faustina Pignatelli], “Problemata mathematica Neapoli ad Collectores Actorum Eruditorum transmissa,” Nova Acta Eruditorum 1 (January 1734): 28–34 179–180
6.5 Niccolò di Martino’s mathematics textbook written for Faustina Pignatelli, 1734. Niccolò De Martino, Elementa sectionum conicarum conscripta ad usam Faustinae Pignatelli (Naples, 1734), 2 vols 182
6.6 Francesco Maria Zanotti’s dialogue on living force inspired by conversations with Pignatelli and her philosophical circle in Naples. Francesco Maria Zanotti, Della forza de’ corpi che chiamano viva (Bologna, 1752) 201
7.1 Experiments on diamonds, 22 October 1773. Paulze-Lavoisier’s handwriting. Archives de l’Académie des Sciences, Paris, Fonds Lavoisier, Registre de laboratoire n. 4, f. 4-Bv 226
7.2 Trudaine’s burning lens, 1774. Engraving. Reproduced in Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier, Œuvres, vol. 3 (Paris: Imprémerie Imperiale, 1864), Planche IX. 231
7.3 A page from Lavoisier’s Registres de laboratoire dealing with the experiments on minerals and precious stones (January 6, 1783). Paulze-Lavoisier’s handwriting. Archives de l’Académie des Sciences, Paris, Registre de laboratoire n. 6, f. 184r 235
7.4 The experiments on human respiration and transpiration in a drawing by Marie-Anne Paulze-Lavoisier, 1790 circa. Pen and brown ink and wash.
The original title of the drawing is unknown. Wellcome Collection, London, item no. 37197i 237
8.1 Jean Baptiste Voboam, Pardessus de viole with diadem (1719). Coll. Musée de la Musique, Paris. INV. Nº: E.998.11.1 249
8.2 Jean-Marc Nattier, “La Leçon de Musique” (France, 1710). Oil on canvas, 131 × 99,5 cm. Coll. Musée de la Musique, Paris. INV. Nº: E.997.13.1 250
8.3 “De la Position du Corps”, in Pierre Rameau, Le maître à danser (Paris, 1725), plate 3. Engraving by the autor. Bibliothèque nationale de France 256
8.4 Nicolas Arnoult, “Joueur de violon du roi. Un membre des Vingt-quatre Violons du Roi, en habit” (Paris, 1688). Engraving. Bibliothèque nationale de France 257
8.5 Pierre Pasquier, “Portrait d’une jeune femme jouant de la guitare devant une colonnade” (Paris, 1779). Watercolour, ink and pigments. INV. Nº: E.2002.5.1 260
8.6 Jacques-Martin Hotteterre, Principes de la flute traversiere ou de la flute a bec. Engraving by Picart (Paris, 1707). Bibliothèque nationale de France 262
8.7 “Joueuse de Tympanon” (The dulcimer player). Made by Pierre Kinzing and David Roentgen (Neuwied, 1784). INV. Nº: 07501-0001 268
P.1 Giulio Cesare Casserio, approximately 1552–1616, line engraving by G. van Veen. Wellcome Collection 292
P.2 Anna Morandi Manzolini, wax self-portrait with brain 293
P.3 Barbara McClintock (1902–1992), US geneticist, in a maize field taking notes 295