Bibliography

Heinrich Khunrath. Amphitheatrum sapientiae aeternae. [Hamburg: s.n., 1595].

This Web site is based on the copy in the Duveen Collection of Heinrich Khunrath's Amphitheatrum sapientiae aeternae [Hamburg: s.n., 1595], or, more fully,

Khunrath, Heinrich, 1560-1605. Yehovah elohim tseva'ot, totique, celestis exercitus spiritualis, militiae, proximo suo fideli, et sibimetipsi, naturae atque arti, Amphitheatrum sapientiae aeternae, solius verae : nec non virginum velut, ei a cubiculis atq[ue] secretis, castissimarum, quibus, in totius machina mundi, non sanctiores, non praestantiores ullae, puta, cabalae, magejae, alchemiae, dominae suae miraculosae, in oratorio & laboratorio, micro ac macrocosmice, artificio mirifico sapienter administrantium, secundum Christianae & philosophicae veritatis normam, a diabolicis sophismatum execrandorum, pro veritate sese falso substituentium, larvis fucatis, repurgatarum, Catholicaq[ue] dexteritate, ad archetypi exemplar reformatarum, primordialive simplicitati triuni, Catholicae, digne restitutarum, cabalisticum, magejcum, physicochemicum, tertriunum, Catholicon. [Hamburg? : s.n.], 1595.

Duveen copy, in the Department of Special Collections, Memorial Library, University of Wisconsin-Madison. See the array of images of the engraved plates and letterpress pages comprising the Madison copy. A microfilm copy of this edition is also available in Memorial Library.

The selected bibliography included here refers to other copies of the edition of 1595; facsimiles of the edition of 1595; other editions/translations/selections; a partial listing of other writings by Heinrich Khunrath - a partial listing; writings primarily about Heinrich Khunrath and his work; and selected works with significant references to Khunrath.

Other copies of the edition of 1595

• University of Darmstadt, Hessische Landes und Hochschulbibliothek, Germany (microfilm copy available [1])
• University Library, University of Basel, Switzerland

In "Notes on some alchemical books," Duveen notes that there is much confusion about the number of editions of this work, but also which was the first. [2] Indeed, several works have cited the edition of 1609 as the first. [3]

• Amphitheatrum sapientia aeternae solius verae Christiano-kabalisticum, divino-magicum, nec non, physico-chymicum, tertriunum, catholicon. Magdaeburgi : apud Levinum Braunss Bibliopolam, 1608.
• Amphitheatrum sapientiae aeternae solius verae : Christiano-Kabalisticum, divino-magicum, nec non physico-chymicum, tertriunum, catholicon. Hanau [Hanover]: G. Antonius, 1609. (from colophon). [1], 60, 222, [1] p., 9 folding plates, folding tables ; 31.5 cm. Title within historiated border; head and tail pieces, initials. Also available on microfilm. New Haven : Research Publications, 1973. 35 mm. (German baroque literature, Harold Jantz collection ; no. 114, reel 24)
• Amphitheatrvm sapientiae aeternae, solius, verae: christiano-kabalisticvm, divino-magicvm, physico-chymicvm, tertrivnvm-catholicon. Francofvrti : apud Tobiam Gvndermannvm, 1653. [1] leaf, 60, 222 p., [1] leaf, 10 plates (9 double), mounted port., 2 double tables ; 31 cm. Hanoviae, excudebat Guilielmus Antonius, 1609 (from colophon). Title vignette (printer's device?). Reissue of the 1609 edition with a new title page.
• Amphitheatrum sapientiae aeternae solius verae, Christiano-Kabalisticum, divino-magicum, physico-chymicum, tertriunum-catholicon. Paris : Chamuel, 1898 (1609). Cf. Amphithéatre de l'eternelle sapience. Reproduction en phototypie des douze planches de l'ouvrage. Paris : Bibliotheque Chacornac, 1898. Reproduction of the Latin edition of 1609 edition.
• See also Amphithéatre de l'eternelle sapience. Paris : 1900. 12 plates, 31 cm. Bibliotheque rosicrucienne. 2. ser., no. 2. Also
• Amphithéatre de l'eternelle sapience. Texte complet traduit pour la premiere fois du latin en francais. Paris : Bibliotheque Chacornac, 1900. Cover title. 57, 181, [1] p., tables ; 30.5 cm. Bibliotheque rosicrucienne. 2. ser., no. 4.
• Amphitheatre de la Sagesse eternelle: La clef mysterieuse de la sagesse eternelle, chretienne et kabbalistique, divine et magique, universelle tri-unite, etablie par Henri Khunrath (1609). Reproduction. Paris: Flicker, 1906.
• Amphithéatre de la sagesse eternelle : seule vraie chrétienne et kabbalistique, divine et magique, physique et chimique, dans son universelle tri-unité. Nouvelle éd. Lyon : Paul Derain, 1946. [46] p. : ill. ; 34 cm. Collection d'albums ésotériques. 450 copies produced. Selections. "Il a été tiré de cet ouvrage quatre cent cinquante exempaires numérotés." "Nouvelle édition comprenant
  • 1. La reproduction des 12 planches originales,
  • 2. La mise en ordre de ces planches,
  • 3. La clef et l'explication de chaque figure par les Drs. Papus [i.e. G. Encausse] et Marc Haven [i.e. E. Lalande]."
• This edition was reprinted in 1957. 1-32 p., 11 leaves of plates : plates (some fold.) ; 33 cm. Collection d'albums esoteriques. "...gravees...par Van Doort..."--p. 7. Errata slip.
• Amphitheatre de la Sagesse eternelle : seule vraie Chretienne et Kabbalistique divine et magique physique et chimique dans son universelle tri-unite etabli par Henri Khunrath (1609). Nouvelle éd. Lyon : Paul Derain, 1957.
• Anfiteatro della saggezza eterna, sola vera, cristiana e cabalistica, divina e magica, fisica e chimica, nella sua universale tri-unità (1609) Nuova ed. Roma : Atanòr, 1973. [46] p. : ill. ; 24 x 26 cm. "Nuova edizione comprendente
  • 1. La riproduzione delle 12 tavole originali,
  • 2. Lamessa in ordine di queste tavole,
  • 3. La chiave e la spiegazione di ciascuna figura a cura dei dottori Papus [i.e. G. Encausse], Marc Haven [i.e. E. Lalande], Stanislao De Guaita."
• Amphithéâtre de l'éternelle sapience. Milano : Sebastiani, 1975 (reprinting the edition of 1900). Limited to 1000 copies.
• The amphitheatre engravings of Heinrich Khunrath. Trans. Patricia Tahil; ed. Adam McLean. Edinburgh, Scotland : Magnum Opus Hermetic Sourceworks, 1981.

• Confessio de chao physico-chemicorum catholico : in quo catholice habitat azoth sive materia prima mundi, h.e. mercurius sapientum : ubi magnesiae (subjecti videlicet lapidis philosophorum catholici) conditiones fideliter recensentur ... Partial English translation available: The naturall Chymicall Symboll or short Confession of Doctor Kunwrath.
• De igne magorum philsophorumque secreto externo & visibili; das ist, Philosophische Erklahrung, von, und uber dem... Gludt und Flammenfewer der uhralten Magorum oder Weysen ... Beneben andern zweyen Tractätlein: deren das erste in ... Judicium ... eines erfahrnen Cabalisten und Philosophen uber die 4. Figuren desz grossen Amphitheatri D. Henrici Khunradi. Strassburg, In Verlegung Lazari Zetzners, 1608 (also available in National Register of Microform Masters). Cf. Leipzig : A.F. Böhme, 1783.
• De signatura rerum naturalium theses. Basel, 1588.
• Magnesia catholica philosophorum, das ist, höheste Nothwendigkeit in Alchymia, auch mügliche uberkommung augenscheinliche Weisung, vnd genugsame Erweisung catholischer verborgener Magnesiae ; des geheimen wunderthetigen vniversal Steins naturgemess-chymischer philosophorum Rechten vnd allein wahren pri-materialischen Svbiecti. Magdeburg : Bey Johan. Bötcher, 1599. Cf. Leipzig : bey Adam Friedrich B–hmen, 1784.
• Naturgemes-alchymisch symbolum, oder, gahr kurtze Bekentnus ... : von allgemeinem, nat¸rlichen, dreyeinigen, wunderbaren, und wunderth”tigen, allergeheimbsten Chao der naturgemessen Alchymisten: desz philosophischen universal und grossen Steins rechten nat¸rlichen unnd eigenen Subjecto, oder, waren und einiger Materia. Hamburg : P. von Ohr [for heirs of H. Binder], 1598.
• Quaestiones tres, per-utiles ... : cum curationem, tum praecautionem absolutam ... Arenae, Sabuli, Calculi, Podagrae, Gonagrae, Chiragrae, aliorumque morborum tartareorum microcosmi ... hominis puta, concernentes: das ist, hochnützliche ... drei Fragen, die gründliche, vollkommene und warhafftige Curation oder Genesung, so wol auch Precaution, oder Verhutung Sandes, Grieses Steins, Zipperleins und anderer mehr tartarischer Kranckheiten microcosmi ... oder des Menschen betreffende. Leipzig : T. Schürer, 1607. In Latin & German.
• Lux in tenebris; das ist ... Liecht vnd Wegnuss vnd Irrthumb vmbgeben... 1614.
• Von hylealischen das ist, pri-materialischen catholischen, oder algemeinemx natürlichen...chaos der naturgemässen alchymiae und alchymisten, wiederholete, verneuerte und wolvermehrete naturgemäss-alchymisch- und recht-lehrende philosophische Confessio oder Bekandtniss ... Deme beygefügt ist eine treuhertzige Wahrnungs-Vermahnung an alle wahre Alchymisten, sich vor den betrügerischen Arg-Chymisten zu hüten. Magdeburg : Durch Andreas Genen Erben, 1597. Also Magdeburg, 1615; Magdeburg: : Johann Francken, 1616; 1706; Frankfurt: G.H. Oehrling, 1708; Graz, Austria : Akademische Druck und Verlagsanstalt, 1990.
• Wahrhafter Bericht vom philosophischen Athanor und dessen Gebrauch und Nutzen ... Magdeburg: 1603; [Magdeburg] : In Verlegung des Autoris, 1615; Leipzig : A.F. Böhme, 1783.

• Johann Arndt. Judicium philosophi anonymi, uber die vier Figuren des grossen Amphitheatri Henrici Khunraths. Ludwigsburg, 1747.
• Claude K. Deischer and Joseph L. Rabinowitz. "The Owl of Heinrich Khunrath: Its origin and significance" in Chymia: Annual studies in the history of chemistry, 3, (1952), 243-251.
• Denis Duveen. "Notes on Some Alchemical Books." The library: Transactions of the Bibliographical Society, series 5, 1:1 (June 1946), 56-58.
• Umberto Eco. L'Enigme de la Hanau 1609: enquete bio-bibliographique sur "l'Amphitheatre de l'Eternelle Sapience..." de Heinrich Khunrath, suivre des 12 planches de l'Amphitheatrum. Paris : Chez Jean-Claude Bailly, Editeur, 1990. Cf. Lo strano caso della Hanau 1609. Milan: Bompiana, 1989.
• Stanislas de Guaita.. Au seuil du mystrèe ... Avec deux belles figures magiques en taille-douce, d'après Henry Khunrath, et un appendice entièrement remanié, At head of title: Essais de sciences maudites. Paris, G. Carré, 1890. Plus later editions.
• Trismegistus Hermes. La table d'emeraude d'Hermes Trismegiste. Texte Latin de Khunrath, suivi d'une traduction nouvelle et de commentaires. Trans. Jean Mallinger. Brussels: C. Platounoff, 1932.
• Hans Kangro. S.v. "Heinrich Khunrath." Dictionary of scientific biography.Ed. C. C. Gillispie. New York : Scribner [1970]-1990.
• Adam McLean. Doctor Heinrich Khunrath : A study in mystical alchemy. J. B. Craven, contributor. Glasgow : A. McLean, 1997. Hermetic studies ; no. 1. Cf. McLean, The amphitheatre engravings of Heinrich Khunrath. (above). McLean also maintains a large website devoted to the topic of alchemy: http://www.levity.com/alchemy/home.html
• Ralf Töllner. Der unendliche Kommentar: Untersuchungen zu vier ausgewahlten Kupferstichen aus Heinrich Khunraths "Amphitheatrum sapientiae aeternae solius verae" (Hanau 1609). Ammersbek bei Hamburg : Verlag an der Lottbek, 1991. Wissenschaftliche Beiträge aus europäischen Hochschulen, ser. 9, Kulturgeschichte, 3.

• Allison Coudert. Alchemy: The philosopher's stone. London: Wildwood House Ltd., 1980.
• Grillot de Givry. Witchcraft, magic, and alchemy. Trans. J. Courtenay Locke. New York: Bonanza Books, n.d..
• Clark Heinrich. Strange fruit : Alchemy, religion and magic foods, a speculative history. London : Bloomsbury Publishing, 1994.
• C. G. Jung. Psychology and alchemy. Princeton, N.J.:Princeton Univerity Press, 1968.
• J.R. Partington. A history of chemistry, vol 11. London: McMillan & Co. Ltd., 1961.
• Urszula Szulakowska. John Dee and European alchemy.Durham: University of Durham, School of Education, 1996.
• Lynn Thorndyke. A history of magic and experimental science, vol. 7, The seventeenth century. Columbia: Columbia University Press, 1958.
• Arthur Edward Waite. Azoth; or the star in the east. New York: University Books, 1973.
• See also relevant entries in RLIN's History of Science and Technology (HST) database, as well as information in http://www.levity.com/alchemy/home.html.

Unless indicated otherwise, cataloging information is derived from WorldCat (from OCLC); National union catalog, pre-1956 imprints; the British Library Catalogue; and Die Deutsche Bibliothek.

Notes

[2] - Duveen, "Notes on some alchemical books," The library: Transactions of the Bibliographical Society, ser. 5, 1:1 (June 1946), 56-58.

[3] - Waite, Brotherhood of the Rosy Cross; Caillet, Manuel bibliographique des sciences psychiques; among others.