The Proof of Azoth's Theorem - (Concept Art) Analysis
(About Philosopher's Stone, Stibnite, Maria's Axiom, Philemon's Altar, Azoth, and a few of the symbols on each of their outfits)
Philosopher’s stone: the goal of turning base metals like iron into precious metals like gold or silver. It was also said to provide the elixir of life, which could cure any illness or bring longevity. It was considered the most pure and perfect of all substances.
Stibnite: an ore that is the primary source of antimony
Described in Basil Valentine's 1st Key (the image Fool's Gold is holding). This depicts purifying gold using melted stibnite.
Impure gold dissolves in melted stibnite. Metals besides gold are turned into sulfides and rise to the surface, while a white allow of antimony and gold sink to the bottom. Roasting this alloy causes the antimony to evaporate, leaving only the purified gold behind.
In the image of the First Key, stibnite is likened to a hungry wolf in the First Key due to how quickly stibnite dissolves (devours) metals.
In German, stibnite is called “spießglanz”, which means “spear shine” due to its shiny “spear” like crystals, thus why the First Key says “on account of his name, is subject to bellicose Mars”, as a spear is a weapon and all weapons are subject to Mars (the god of war).
This is like what is described by Nicholas Flamel, where silver is combined with mercury and antimony then distilled and cohobated (repeatedly distilling a liquid then pouring the distillate back onto the residue to extract more of the desired substance) to produce red power.
Maria’s Axiom: “1 becomes 2, 2 becomes 3, and out of the 3rd comes the 1 as the 4th” (also described as “1 becomes 2, 2 becomes 3, and by means of the 3rd and 4 thachieving unity, thus 2 are but 1”)
Carl Jung uses this as a metaphor to describe the process of “individuation”. This refers to the process of self-discovery to become our true, unique self.
This involves finding your identity outside of the roles and expectations imposed by the outside (society, others, etc…). The goal here being to achieve a sense of “wholeness” and “unity” with yourself.
1 is the 1st matter, or prima materia, containing everything you need. This is then divided (into opposites), with each element purified by itself then united again (reconciliation of opposites) into a complete whole more perfect than the starting matter, the philosopher’s stone.
Philemon’s altar: may refer to Jung’s Philemon, which is based on Philemon and Baucis from Ovid’s Metamorphosis and Goethe’s Faust.
With Ovid, Jupiter and Mercury are disguised knocking on houses but not shown kindness until they meet Philemon and Baucis, an old, poor couple. They let them live while killing everyone else (the wicked), with the couple’s house being transformed into a temple.
With Goeth, Faust is building a city on land reclaimed from the sea and asks the devil Mephistopheles to move Philemon and Baucis, but Faust is horrified to see the demon burn their house down with the couple still inside. Faust then decides he needs to atone for his crime.
Philemon was a figure in a dream of Jung's, a wise old man that represented superior insight and wisdom. For Jung, Philemon symbolized the “artifax” or skilled alchemist, with the goal to purify and perfect materials (transform base materials into noble ones like gold).
On a spiritual level, the goal of the artifax is to purify and perfect the human soul, achieving enlightenment (becoming a higher/whole human being).
Over Jung’s gate he put the inscription: “Philemon’s Shrine – Faust’s Repentance”. This involved integrating the moral questions raised by with the spiritual goal of alchemy via the opposing figures of Philemon and Faust (so acknowledge necessity of confronting evil on the path to individuation, atoning for Faust’s crime, and affirming the goal represented by Philemon).
Azoth: Considered to be a universal cure or Elixir of Life that could be created by the philosopher’s stone.
It is also essential agent of transformation in alchemy.
As the Universal Life Force, it's the energy responsible for the drive towards physical/spiritual perfection
Azoth is called Prima Materia in Latin. This was the first matter, the starting material required for the creation of the philosopher’s stone. It is the primitive formless base of all matter similar to chaos, the quintessence or aether.
It is the 1st matter at the beginning as well as its perfected essence (philosopher’s stone).
It relates to unity, wholeness, and synthesis of opposites
Alchemy Symbols:
Philosopher’s Stone:
triangle = fire
triangle in a circle = Wheel of Fire (Ignis Rotae)
entwined snakes = likely Hermes Caduceus (Hermes as Hermes Trismegistus was closely associated with alchemy)
Stibnite
upside down triangle = water
hexagram?() = represented the reconciliation/union of opposites (fire and water)
Philemon:
- triangle with a line through it = air
Maria's Axiom:
- downward triangle with a line through it = earth
- symbols on her dress and floor for Mercury/Quicksilver, Venus/Copper, Moon/Silver, Saturn/Lead, Jupiter/Tin, Mars/Iron, and Sun/Gold
There were several bits that looked like they could be symbols but I haven't been able to identify them yet (I've already spent so long working to identify everything. I'll try to add more if I identify them later).
Also I did notice/wonder how that shadow thing has eyes that appear around it could relate to Hunter Norton's weapon, which almost looks like an eye. Matthias also might have something on his boots but it's hard to be sure.
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