This book explores the historical and artistic representations of alchemy, focusing on its contributions to the development of modern science and its enduring popular appeal. The work examines the role of alchemists in the 17th and 18th centuries through a selection of paintings from the Eddleman and Fisher Collections at the Chemical Heritage Foundation. It reveals how alchemical pursuits, including the famed transmutation of metals, influenced the nascent field of chemistry and permeated artistic expression of the era.

The book offers a thoughtful look at the role of the alchemist in the 17th and 18th centuries, as depicted in a selection of paintings from the Eddleman and Fisher Collections housed at the Chemical Heritage Foundation. This beautiful full-color book reveals much about the beginnings of chemistry as a profession. The subject of alchemy is presented as one of the most evocative in the history of science, having made important contributions to modern science while also capturing the popular imagination. The enduring allure of alchemical goals, such as turning base metals into gold, continues to fascinate.