Isabella Cortese
There was a new excitement for manipulating nature and acquiring secrets for a wide range of uses,[1] including cosmetics, alchemical transformations and medical remedies.
[1] Woman literacy rates in the 16th century, although still much lower than their male counterparts, were increasing steadily due to vernacularization and the rise of available prints in Europe.
[1] Another scope of study focused on practical everyday life tasks that included ways of maintaining health and hygiene through outlets of alchemy and cosmetics.
[1] Instructions on how to create face creams, preserve wine, or remove stains were general lifestyle skills to help women through providing a source of entertainment while not fully discussing the scientific mechanism breakdowns.
By 1599, Cortese's book had seven editions and placed her name among the Professori di Segreti-"Professor of Secrets"- listed by Tomaso Garzoni in his encyclopedic Piazza Universale.
[4] Although such texts are over a hundred years old, it still played a significant role in inspiring others such as author Carol Firenze,[5] who wrote a novel about how olive oil can benefit one's hair, complexion, etc.
Published during the era of modernization of Italy, Cortese's work was popular and she was considered an itinerant female alchemist that supported women and their ability to read.
[7] The knowledge she had gathered through travel to several countries like Moravia, Poland, and Hungary enabled her to create her various forms of work which advanced the women within science of the 16th century.
[7] She provided references to her alchemical recipes through the use of pictures including laboratory equipment and other props for intended literacy simplicity for women to follow along.
[7] However, the overall development and participation of women within alchemical engagement in countries such as Germany, Spain, France, Italy, and England continues to remain a mystery.
[7] Cortese claimed to have studied alchemy for thirty years, including the works of established alchemists such as Geber, Ramon Llull, and Arnold of Villanova.
[8] She, however, was widely dismissive of their work calling it "complete gibberish, filled with fables and crazy recipes that only make you lose time and money".
[8] One treatment calls for a combination of fixed camphor, quicksilver, and sulfur to make a "universal medicine" through a metaphorical joining of mind, body, and soul.
[8] Another calls for a mixture of quail testicles, large winged ants, oriental amber, musk, and an oil made from elder and storax.
[13] The recipes provided in the content of the work were divided into four distinct books focusing on many different viewpoints that applied to either males or females.
The first book illustrates the idea of medicinal recipes and elaborates on ways to treat the main diseases spreading through Europe at the time.
[1] Moreover, there are common rules that Cortese suggests for readers in this section before moving forward like working alone, making use of vessels, immersing oneself with familiarity of alchemical experiments, keeping eyes on fire, preparation in the use of tongs, secrecy in all work, find trustworthy allies, and praising God after success of an experiment by serving the less fortunate.
[1] The third book has broader coverage, including topics that drew much attention such as assembling mirrors, dying hair, and removing stains.
