De uitvinder van het buskruit, de Franciscaner monnik Bertold Schwartz 1647

This engraving depicts the Franciscan monk Bertold Schwartz, the supposed inventor of gunpowder. The central symbol here is the alchemical equipment— flasks, mortars, and pestles—tools that represent a bridge between science and magic. Consider how such imagery appears in earlier depictions of Hermes Trismegistus, the father of alchemy, often surrounded by similar instruments of transformation. This motif transcends time, reappearing in countless works across different cultures, each time shifting in meaning, reflecting a deeper human desire to control and transmute the very elements of life. The cloud of smoke emerging from the experiment evokes ideas of chaos and unpredictability, perhaps unconsciously alluding to the destructive potential unleashed by Schwartz's invention. It's a visual representation of the tension between creation and destruction, a dichotomy deeply embedded in our collective psyche. This potent imagery resonates with our subconscious understanding of the world’s volatile nature.