March 1591. Giovanni Dolfin, Venetian Ambassador in Germany, reports to the Doge and Senate on the Holy Roman Emperor’s dangerous experiment with gunpowder. Rudolf II was a keen patron of the arts and amateur of the occult sciences. He very much liked the portrait Arcimboldo painted of him in the character of Vertumnus (above). Below for comparison is a more conventional rendition by Hans Von Aachen.
A week ago, while the Emperor was reading a book upon fireworks he suddenly conceived the idea to try an experiment with some spirits of wine and gunpowder. As he was leaning over the the boiling spirits, which had been boiled and re-boiled, and was therefore almost pure spirit, it flamed up and burned a part of his beard, both his eyebrows, and his cheek. Thank God he has suffered very little, though the danger was great. He is in retreat at present.
The emperor Rudolf II plays an important role in the backstory to Janáček’s opera Věc Makropulos. In 1585, the emperor ordered his court alchemist, Hieronymus Makropulos, to create a potion that would extend his life for three centuries. But before taking the potion himself, he ordered the alchemist to try it out on his daughter first. It worked, and the daughter went on to become a famous opera singer, under different names (all with the initials E.M.), for well over 300 years, until the effect of the potion finally wore off in 1922.
LikeLike
Excellent!
LikeLike
Your new and detailed history series are indeed excellent. Colorful, quirky, and very likable.
Love the paintings as they are not known to me.
Thank you.
Joanna
LikeLike
Thank you Joanna! I must finish putting the names of all the artists – sorry I missed some out! I’m very glad you like the series
LikeLike
Thank you Joanna! I must finish putting the names of all the artists – sorry I missed some out! I’m very glad you like the series.
LikeLike