The Alchemist

Philip Galle after Pieter Bruegel the Elder

National Gallery of Art

This is a print of a cluttered interior with various alchemical activities happening. The room is filled with containers, tools, and books. A man on the left sits at a desk, mixing different elements together in a small bowl while several other bowls emit smoke. In the center, two people crouch on the floor near another fire. On the right, a person sits, reading several large books, and extending one hand outward towards the people in the center. In the background on the left, three children appear to be climbing into a cabinet. On the right, an open window shows several people walking towards a building labeled "lospital." Below the print are several lines of text.