...Christ as a pharmacist... .
The outer part of the picture points out to
the outer sphere from which the remedies originate and correlates at the same time with some characteristic sites of the coal mine town Ratheim.
On the top, we find a three-fold light appearance. In the middle, the spiritual light, on the left the natural light and on the right the electricity of a lightning, which also has its place in the nervous system.
In between, under spiritual light, the rainbow is located, separating the darkness from the light. The rainbow is also a bridge which reminds us of the godly auspicion, not to destroy humankind again.
The forest and also the coal are metamorphoses of the light. Light, which forms life in plants and trees. The coal, which comes from a life passed, gives away its light as heat.
Out of the hidden depths, secrets, treasures and powers of the earth are painfully brought back to the light.
In the lower part of the picture, we find a counterpart to the spiritual light in religion, church, making of remedies – the pharmacy. The pharmacy, which is governed by the light of nature – the light of God. The spiritual effects of the power of nature are depicted by the agate almond.
The inner representation of the triptychon can be seen as the spiritual picture for the making of remedies. In the center we find Christ as a pharmacist , the healer of the world. He makes water to wine and wine to his blood.
He is the mediator for the inventive powers of trinity. He is standing, between the polars of day and night with their respective powers, plants, animals and minerals, while resting in his own inner room.
On his side are the virtues on the day sinde and the sins (represented as drugs or toxics) on the night side. These sins can be used for detoxication or
as a remedy after cleaning and dipsensing.
The 4 virtues belief, love, hope and courage are counterparted by the 4 pillars of Paracelsus‘ medicine, alchemy, philosophy, astronomy and virtue.
The arcs above the pillars carry alchimistic symbols. They start on the left with the basic symbols, which are clearly visible such as Sal, Mercurius and Sulphur. They are followed by the seven planets, the 12 signs of the zodiac and the 4 classic elements fire, air, water and soil which are united in the middle to the david star. Hidden are the powers of the main alchemistic salts (urine, tartrate, ammonium chloride, alum, salpeter and vitriol). There is a way from the open creating sun and Sulphur pole to the recognizing and hidden conciousness pole of the Sal principle.
In between is the great and true Mercur mediating, it’s Christ.
Barbara Hedderich-Nagel