French Literature Reviews - 2026
Alchemies
History, Politics and Society
L'HARMATTAN
Publishing & Distribution
5-7, rue de l’École Polytechnique 75005 Paris
Tel: 01 40 46 79 20 / Fax: 01 43 25 82 03
http://www.editions-harmattan.fr
ALCHEMIES
OCCIDENT - ORIENT
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SYMPOSIUM HELD AT THE SORBONNE
13, 14, AND 15 DECEMBER 2001
Edited by Claire KAPPLER and Suzanne THIOLIER-MÉJEAN
Alchemy is undoubtedly the only medieval and post-medieval field to arouse such contradictory reactions. Yet, standing at the frontiers of magic and experimentation, it contributed to the formation of a modern consciousness of the universe.
It thus seemed necessary to us to offer eminent specialists the opportunity to take stock of one of the aspects of this strange body of knowledge, and the result is these Proceedings of the symposium held at the Sorbonne on 13, 14, and 15 December 2001.
It was also necessary to attempt to provide a comprehensive overview of alchemy and therefore to compare its Western history with that of the East, from which ours largely draws its origins. Many sources are shared; in particular, Arabic and Persian texts shed light on the development of European medieval alchemy.
Through the studies presented, the Eastern specificity, from Persia to China, quickly becomes apparent: much more developed than in European literature is alchemy as a metaphor applied to the internal processes specific to human beings. It is implemented both in predominantly literary works and in texts bordering on philosophy and mysticism.
Thanks to this exchange between West and East, not only is alchemical knowledge illuminated, but also, in a broader and very contemporary way, the perception of man himself.
Claire Kappler, CNRS research fellow, a specialist in monsters, wonders, and travel in Asia, now focuses her research on classical Persian literature and cultural exchanges between East and West.
Suzanne Thiolier-Méjean, professor emerita at the Sorbonne, has devoted her research to Southern medieval language and literature, and has notably published Alchimie médiévale en pays d’oc (PUPS, 1999).
KUBABA Collection
University of Paris I Proceedings Series
ISBN 2-296-01235-3 o 29_ o 351 pages
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
By Claire KAPPLER and Suzanne THIOLIER-MEJEAN
WESTERN ALCHEMY
Barbara OBRIST:
The art of the alchemist, painter, and sculptor in relation to nature: from the Middle Ages to the “Scientific Revolution”
Catherine GUIMBARD:
The poet's quest: an essay in alchemical interpretation
Dominique JAILLARD and Isabelle JAILLARD-L’HERBETTE:
The alchemical transmutation of comedy in Giordano Bruno
Suzanne THIOLIER-MEJEAN:
The Alchemist in vernacular medieval literature: a study of a few cases
Antoine CALVET:
The Liber experimentorum attributed to Arnold of Villanova (Parisinus 7349, early 15th century, f° 115-118)
Silvia CHITIMIA:
Alchemy in the Carpathians
Christine MAILLARD:
Alchemy and heterodoxy: critiques and challenges to “chemical Christianity” in the Germanic world in the seventeenth century
François ANTONOVICH:
The age of Rudolf II, Emperor, alchemist, and patron of the arts
Alain RICHARD:
“Ignis innaturalis or the Dry Way” an explanation of three carved wooden panels (15th-16th c.)
EASTERN ALCHEMY
Pierre LORY:
The meanings of history according to Muslim alchemists
Claire KAPPLER:
Alchemical metamorphoses of death in classical Persian literature: Kay Khosrow, Alexander the Great, and Bahram Gur
Sergio FOTI:
Geography of perfection: alchemical landscapes and myths in a narrative by Suhrawardi
Catherine DESPEUX:
Metaphors and integration processes: body symbolism in Song dynasty internal alchemy (10th-13th centuries)
Pierre MARSONE:
Chinese internal alchemy: symbolism and spirituality of working with body energies
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------
ORDER FORM
To be returned to L’HARMATTAN, 7 rue de l’École Polytechnique 75005 Paris
Please send me ............ copy/copies of the book Alchemies at the unit price of 29_ + 4.05_ shipping costs, + 0.80_ shipping costs for each additional work, making a total of ............_.
NAME:
ADDRESS:
Enclosed is a check for ............ _.
For international orders, payments should be made:
- in euros by checks drawn on a French bank.
- by bank transfer in euros to our CCP 23 625 44 N Paris
- by credit card (Visa only) No. ................................ expiry date ...../...../...../ and the CVV number (the last 3 digits on the back of your card, to the left of your signature): …………………………..
You can also order this book directly from your usual bookstore
and on L'Harmattan's website: www.editions-harmattan.fr
The volume gathers contributions presented at a scholarly symposium held at the Sorbonne, bringing together specialists to examine medieval and post-medieval traditions associated with alchemy. Editors Claire Kappler and Suzanne Thiolier-Méjean have organized the collection around the dual axes of Western history and Eastern origins, incorporating Arabic, Persian, and Chinese contexts. The papers address diverse topics, ranging from the intersections of alchemy with the arts, literature, and philosophy to specific textual analyses and regional studies across Europe and Asia.
By placing European developments alongside Eastern specificities—such as internal alchemy and body symbolism in classical Persian and Chinese texts—the publication highlights shared sources and comparative perspectives. Readers interested in the history of science, cultural exchanges, and medieval studies may find this collection relevant for understanding how alchemical knowledge contributed to the formation of a modern consciousness of the universe.