Portrait of the alchemist Morieno Romano, Flemish Mannerist painter 17th century

Flemish Mannerist Painter – Early 17th Century

Portrait of Morienus Romanus (Christian alchemist who lived in the 7th century)

Oil on the table
41 x 43 cm. – In antique frame 51 x 43 cm.

The work belongs to a series of three paintings, together with the portraits of the alchemists Hermes Trismegistus (link) and Geber (link)

The painting portrays an alchemist, an ancient figure who has always been a bearer of fascination and mystery for his perfect blend of science and esotericism, who aimed to conquer omniscience, or the maximum of knowledge in all fields of knowledge. Among the great objectives of alchemy was the search for the elixir of eternal life or the transformation of poor metals into gold, a practice that was believed to be achievable through the "philosopher's stone".

The alchemist, therefore, with his secret practices and knowledge, is a figure described as being on the border between scholar and magician, capable of performing extraordinary transformations, well represented here by a Mannerist painter, presumably Flemish, active between the 16th and 17th centuries.

In our case, in particular, it is the portrait of Morieno Romano, one of the great alchemists of history, a legendary Christian hermit who lived at the end of the 7th century, presumably in the mountains near Jerusalem, considered the heir to the knowledge of Hermes Trismegistus.

His most famous alchemical treatise entitled “Liber de Compositione Alchimiae”, containing a dialogue between Morienus and the Arab prince Khalid Ibn Yazid, was later printed in Paris in 1559, under the title “De Transfiguratione Metallorum”. This text marks the beginning of Western studies on Alchemy, which was previously largely unknown in Central Europe.

Legend has it that Morienus learned the secret of the Philosopher's Stone from Prince Khalid, probably a fantasy to demonstrate the priority of Christian scholars over Muslims in alchemy.

The alchemist, dressed in a dark tunic and a long beard, holds a rolled-up parchment in his hand, symbolizing his incessant search for truth and wisdom, a journey that winds through the mysteries of the universe, on which we can only imagine alchemical symbols and secret formulas are written.

Depicted as a mature man, with an intense and concentrated gaze, as if he were deciphering an ancient mystery.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The painting is sold complete with an antique frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.

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