Art Resource - AR929867

'An Alchemist,' 1661. Artist: Adriaen van Ostade

'An Alchemist,' 1661.The old belief that alchemists could turn base metals into silver and gold survived until the 18th century, and other Dutch paintings of the 17th century satirised the same theme. Here, the paper beside the stool bears an inscription from the treatise 'De Re Metallica' by Agricola (1556): 'oleum et operam perdis' ('oil and work is wasted'). Prominence is given to the still life of varied utensils in the foreground, while the alchemist's family - a mother wiping her baby's bottom - is relegated to the background.

Unique Identifier AR929867

Type Image

Purpose Public

Size 4833px × 3612px

Photo Credit HIP / Art Resource, NY

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