This collection ranges from oil paintings, woodcuts, and works on paper to 3D objects including laboratory glassware, commemorative medals, and scientific equipment. The highlight of this collection includes oil paintings depicting early modern activities related to alchemy, medicine, and early pharmacies spanning the 17th and 19th centuries. A selection of these works have been digitized here.
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Gold
- 1870 – 1890
This print reproduces a painting exhibited by A. H. Tourrier at the Royal Academy in London in 1871. The scene shows a trio of nobles standing awed before an alchemist holding out a broken crucible in his right…
- After Tourrier, Alfred Holst
- Engraver Greatbach, G. (George)
- Subject Gold, Alchemists, Alchemy, Alchemy in art
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The Alchimist
- Circa 1900 – 1965
Color reproduction of a painting by Wijck from the collections of the Rijksmuseum. The alchemist, seated at his desk before the window, looks down to survey the progress of his assistant. The young boy holds up a basin…
- After Wyck, Thomas, approximately 1616-1677
- Subject Alchemists, Alchemy, Alchemy in art
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Le Docteur Alchimiste (The Alchemical Doctor)
- 1740 – 1790
This engraving by J. Tardieu reproduces a painting of the same subject by David Teniers II. An older man with a lined, wizened face sits in a chair before a table, intently reading an open book. Before him sits a globe,…
- After Teniers, David, 1610-1690
- Engraver Tardieu, Jacques Nicolas, 1716-1791
- Subject Alchemists, Alchemy, Alchemy in art
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Le Philosophe en Contemplation (The Philosopher in Contemplation)
- 1700s
This etching, by the Italian engraver and etcher Giuseppe [Joseph] Longhi, reproduces a work by the Dutch master of chiaroscuro, Rembrandt van Rijn. The original painting traveled to France in the 18th century and…
- After Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1606-1669
- Creator Of Work Longhi, Giuseppe, 1766-1831
- Subject Alchemists, Alchemy, Alchemy in art, Philosophers
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Ein Chemiker in seinem Laboratorium (A Chemist in his Laboratory)
- 1835 – 1840
This lithograph by Carl Straub, after a painting of the same subject by David Teniers II, shows the interior of a chemist's laboratory with a man seated in front of a furnace. He tends a glowing fire with a pair of…
- After Teniers, David, 1610-1690
- Creator Of Work Straub, Carl
- Subject Alchemists, Alchemy, Alchemy in art
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The Laboratory
- 1755
Engraved by Thomas Major after a painting of the same subject by David Teniers II, this print shows a young alchemist in a cap and apron working a pair of bellows before an open hearth. Distillation vessels, open books,…
- After Teniers, David, 1610-1690
- Engraver Major, Thomas, 1720-1799
- Subject Alchemists, Alchemy, Alchemy in art
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A Peep at the Gas Lights in Pall Mall
- 1809
This hand-colored etching by Thomas Rowlandson was produced based on a drawing by G. M. Woodward. It portrays a London street scene of citizens commenting on, and in some instances complaining about, the wonders of new…
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Medical Jurisprudence
- 1899-Nov-30
A chromolithograph print of Dr. Thomas Stevenson (1838-1908), an English toxicologist and forensic chemist, by A.G. Witherby for Vanity Fair, November 30, 1899.
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Glass Blowers
- Circa 1886
Men with glass-blowing equipment inflate molten glass (background glow) to produce items of glassware. Two women are watching at lower right. This photogravure (by Goupil & Co.) was published in New York and was based…
- After Ulrich, Charles Frederic, 1858-1908
- Creator Of Work Goupil & Cie
- Publisher D. Appleton and Company
- Subject Glass blowing and working, Glass blowing and working in art, Italy--Murano, Hot shops (Glass blowing and working), Italy--Venice, Women in art
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Plate I: The Modern Chemical Apparatus. No.1
- 1800-Nov-15
Hand-colored engraving by J. Pass after the drawing by Henry Lascelles for the section on "Chemistry." From Volume 4 of the Encyclopaedia Londinensis; or, Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Literature,…
- Artist Lascelles, Henry
- Engraver Paas, John, 1790-1832
- Publisher Wilkes, John, of Milland House, Sussex
- Subject Chemical laboratories--Equipment and supplies, Chemical apparatus
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Plate II: The Modern Chemical Apparatus. No.2
- 1800-Nov-20
Hand-colored engraving by J. Pass after the drawing by Henry Lascelles for the section on "Chemistry." From Volume 4 of the Encyclopaedia Londinensis; or, Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Literature,…
- Artist Lascelles, Henry
- Engraver Paas, John, 1790-1832
- Publisher Wilkes, John, of Milland House, Sussex
- Subject Chemical laboratories--Equipment and supplies, Chemical apparatus
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Plate III: The Modern Chemical Apparatus. No.3
- 1800-Dec-01
Hand-colored engraving by J. Pass after the drawing by Henry Lascelles for the section on "Chemistry." From Volume 4 of the Encyclopaedia Londinensis; or, Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Literature,…
- Artist Lascelles, Henry
- Engraver Paas, John, 1790-1832
- Publisher Wilkes, John, of Milland House, Sussex
- Subject Chemical laboratories--Equipment and supplies, Chemical apparatus
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Plate IX: 1. New Gazometer of the Philosophical Society of London. 2 to 4. DeVigne's Apparatus for saturating Water with Gas. 5 and 6. Apparatus for freezing Mercury.
- 1801-Mar-09
Hand-colored engraving by J. Pass after the drawing by Henry Lascelles for the section on "Chemistry." From Volume 4 of the Encyclopaedia Londinensis; or, Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Literature,…
- Artist Lascelles, Henry
- Engraver Paas, John, 1790-1832
- Publisher Wilkes, John, of Milland House, Sussex
- Subject Chemical laboratories--Equipment and supplies, Chemical apparatus
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Plate V: The Modern Chemical Apparatus. No.5
- 1800-Dec-22
Hand-colored engraving by J. Pass after the drawing by Henry Lascelles for the section on "Chemistry." From Volume 4 of the Encyclopaedia Londinensis; or, Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Literature,…
- Artist Lascelles, Henry
- Engraver Paas, John, 1790-1832
- Publisher Wilkes, John, of Milland House, Sussex
- Subject Chemical laboratories--Equipment and supplies, Chemical apparatus
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Plate VIII: 1. Machine for the Combustion of Phosphorus. 2 to 6. The Mercurial Gazometer. 7. Guyton's Eudiometer.
- 1801-Feb-10
Hand-colored engraving by J. Pass after the drawing by Henry Lascelles for the section on "Chemistry." From Volume 4 of the Encyclopaedia Londinensis; or, Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Literature,…
- Artist Lascelles, Henry
- Engraver Paas, John, 1790-1832
- Publisher Wilkes, John, of Milland House, Sussex
- Subject Chemical laboratories--Equipment and supplies, Chemical apparatus
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Plate X: 1. New Steelyards for weighing Gasses. 2. Apparatus for the Combustion of the Diamond.
- 1801-Mar-02
Hand-colored engraving by J. Pass after the drawing by Henry Lascelles for the section on "Chemistry." From Volume 4 of the Encyclopaedia Londinensis; or, Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Literature,…
- Artist Lascelles, Henry
- Engraver Paas, John, 1790-1832
- Publisher Wilkes, John, of Milland House, Sussex
- Subject Chemical laboratories--Equipment and supplies, Chemical apparatus
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Plate XI: The Calorimeter of Lavoisier and La Place.
- 1801-Mar-10
Hand-colored engraving by J. Pass after the drawing by Henry Lascelles for the section on "Chemistry." From Volume 4 of the Encyclopaedia Londinensis; or, Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Literature,…
- Artist Lascelles, Henry
- Engraver Paas, John, 1790-1832
- Publisher Wilkes, John, of Milland House, Sussex
- Subject Chemical laboratories--Equipment and supplies, Chemical apparatus
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Portrait of Nicholas Kratzer
- Circa 1818
This engraving portrays Nicholas Kratzer (1487?-1550), a German mathematician, astronomer, and horologist (horology is the art or science of measuring time), surrounded with tools related to his professional interests.…
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Portrait of an unknown scientist
- Circa 1824 – 1904
The identity of the scientist in this lithograph is not currently known. The print was created by Robert Jacob Hamerton, who was a cartoonist and illustrator from County Longford, Ireland. He later moved to London,…
- Artist Hamerton, Robert Jacob
- Subject Scientists, Portraits, Caricatures and cartoons
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The Agnew Clinic
- Circa 1889
This photogravure by Gebbie & Husson Co. Ltd. reproduces Thomas Eakins' painting known as The Agnew Clinic (or The Clinic of Dr. Agnew). Eakins was commissioned by the University of Pennsylvania Medical Class of 1889 to…
- After Eakins, Thomas, 1844-1916
- Creator Of Work Gebbie & Husson Co. Ltd.
- Subject Women--Health and hygiene, Eakins, Thomas, 1844-1916, Women's health services, White, J. William (James William), 1850-1916, Surgery--Study and teaching, Nurses, Lumpectomy, Medical students, Gebbie & Husson Co. Ltd., Agnew, D. Hayes (David Hayes), 1818-1892, Medicine--Study and teaching, University of Pennsylvania. Hospital, Women in medicine
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The First Lecture in Experimental Philosophy
- 1748
The full text above and below the image of this print reads, "The First Lecture in Experimental Philosophy. / Engraved for the Universal Magazine, for J. Hinton at the King's Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard London.…
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The Inventor
- 1889 – 1891
This photogravure reproduces a painting by American artist Daniel Ridgway Knight (1839-1924), who was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and also spent time in France. The photogravure was part of a massive study of…
- After Knight, Ridgway, 1839-1924
- Creator Of Work Goupil & Cie
- Publisher D. Appleton and Company
- Subject Inventors
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Watt's First Experiment
- Circa 1868
This imaginative portrayal of James Watt (1736-1819) was engraved by Herbert Bourne after a painting by Marcus Stone, which was in the collection of George Virtue, Esq. of Oatlands Park at the time that the print was…
- After Stone, Marcus, 1840-1921
- Engraver Bourne, Herbert, 1820-
- Subject Watt, James, 1736-1819
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A chemist watching over distillation process
- 1875
An etching of a chemist watching over a distillation process. The apparatus being used includes a gas-fueled bunsen burner at far left heating liquids in glass retorts. The products of the distillation are being…
- Artist Ouler, Walter W.
- Subject Distillation apparatus, Chemists, Distillation
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James Watt and the Steam Engine
- 1860
In this mezzotint print, James Watt sits in a small dark room, and he holds dividers on a table to the left of the composition. However, Watt has just turned in his chair to look over his shoulder at a pan of water…
