The Italian Giordano Bruno
was one of the foremost Renaissance
theoreticians and practitioners of talismanic image magic. Many of the
images described here are clearly derived from Picatrix,
that most comprehensive of compilations of medieval Arabic
astrological magic, but Bruno's images are redolent
of Renaissance art and culture. His images are lyrical and poetic, while Picatrix
images can sometimes appear merely strange and outlandish.
An image of the Sun by the
artist and traditional magician Nigel Jackson
influenced by Bruno's talismanic descriptions appears above to right at the top
of the page. Here is the
complete set of descriptions and an actual astrological election for this image of
the Sun in Aries, a
Venus election for Bruno's image
as well as another image by
Nigel Jackson of Jupiter which is also
inspired by Bruno's planetary image descriptions.
First Image of Saturn: a Man with a Stag's face
upon a Dragon, having on his right hand an Owl which devours a Snake.
Second is a Man riding upon a Camel,
having a Sickle in his right hand and a Fish in his left.
Third: A sombre and sighing Man wearing
swarthy vestments and holding his palms up in the air.
Fourth: A dark man having the feet of a
Camel, seated upon a Winged Dragon and bearing a Cypress-branch in his right hand.
Fifth: One dressed in black with a dark countenance
in whose right hand a Basilisk twists it's claws round to it's tail.
Sixth: One aged and lame leaning upon a staff upon a
high throne, over a Chariot drawn by a Mule and an Ass.
Seventh: A Charioteer bearing in one hand a Fish and
a Sickle in the other, mounted upon a Chariot pulled by two Deer.
First Image of Jove: A Nobleman upon a chariot
drawn by a Dragon with an Arrow in his right hand which he hurls at the Dragon's head.
Second Image of Jove: A Man seated in a sedan
chair borne by four Winged Youths leaning on leafing staves of Beech.
Third is one having the head of a Ram,
seated upon a Wheel and bearing in his hands a Vessel of Balsam.
Fourth is one having the head of a Lion
and the feet of an Eagle, an Oaken Bough in his right hand, before whom move two youths of most beautiful appearance dressed in white.
Fifth: One seated upon an Eagle, his dress
adorned with Emeralds, a Crown of Hyacinths upon his head and a Sceptre in his hand.
Sixth: A Crowned man riding upon a Dragon,
dressed in saffron vestments and carrying an Olive-stave in his right hand.
Seventh: One Crowned with raised hands joined
together as if in imprecation, his vestments of Sky-Blue besprinkled with Golden Stars.
The First Image of Mars is a Man armoured and
riding upon a Lion upon whose Helm a Vulture strikes with it's beak.
He is a Man of most ferocious appearance.
Second: A Man armed with Broad-Sword and
Spear upon whose Helm is a form resembling a Chimaera from whose mouth shoot sparkling flames.
Third: One who casts sulphurous Fire with his right hand,
having taken hold with his left of the neck of a Leopard which he rides against it's will.
Fourth: A Man having in his right hand a Sword
unsheathed and dripping with blood and in his left a human Head whose countenance is burnt as if by the sun.
Fifth: A Man of tawny colouring riding upon a
Wolf, dressed in Red garments and bearing a heavy Sceptre of Iron.
Sixth: A ravished and very beautiful Virgin
before a Man who turns away from her: they are together in an Ivory-White Chariot
drawn by two Dog-Headed Apes.
Seventh: A Leopard and a Tiger fighting, on
both sides are two helmeted men threatening each other with drawn Swords.
The First Image of the Sun: A Crowned Woman of attractive
charms, in a Golden Chariot drawn by four harnessed Horses rising upwards.
Second: A most beauteous Youth, nude and having a
Crown of many interwoven Flowers upon his head, embracing a Peacock.
Third: A Youth bearing a Bow and Quiver, from
whose diademed head radiate beams of flashing brilliance.
Fourth: A Woman having a Mirror in her right hand,
embracing and fondly kissing a Boy, dressed in a Green vestment reaching to her feet,
with yellow tresses and a beautiful face.
Fifth: A Virgin seated upon a Crocodile,
carrying a Shield of Bronze in her left hand and hurling a Dart with her right.
Sixth: A Man in whose right hand is a Cockerel,
riding upon a Flying Lion with clouds of mist billowing from it's nostrils.
Seventh: A Man in Pontifical garments holding a Raven
at his bosom who is preceded by two bare-headed men, wearing saffron or tawny
and under his feet a Golden Hound.
The First Image of Venus: A nude Girl crowned with
Myrtle having long hair all the way down to her ankles and before her a sportive
white Bitch.
Second: A graceful Youth carrying with
both hands a Bowl filled with many-coloured Flowers and following a Man like a Gardener.
Third: A nude Woman at a tomb who appears
to bear the in-grafted head of a Dove having the feet of an Eagle,
followed by a Youth and preceded by a man who seems to flee.
Fourth: A Woman riding upon a Bull having a Hair-Comb
in her right hand, a Looking-Glass in her left by whom stands a Youth with a
Green Bird in his hand.
Fifth: A Boy having a Silver Chain and close by
him a nude Girl, dancing and crowned with Laurels of revelry.
Sixth: A Winged Boy having hair of shining gold,
whose plumes are tinged with a thousand hues, hurling a Fiery Dart of Love.
Seventh: A Youth and a Maiden both naked and wrestling,
one striving to bind the other, whence each has a Golden Chain in their hand.
To Mercury in truth are these Signs and in the
first station the image of a very beautiful Youth having a Sceptre about
which two Serpents wind with their heads opposite and contemplating each other.
Second: A bearded, attractive Youth crowned with a
Garland of Olive, having a Sceptre in his hand and a Fire kindled before him.
Third: One having a Winged Helm and bearing moreover
a Wand in his left hand and a Dart in his right.
Fourth Image: A Man in a toga, having a Comb in his
forward-groomed beard, who is accompanied by a Girl of comely appearance and
altogether beauteous of body but having a serpentine tail.
Fifth: Argus the many-eyed, in his right hand a
stabbing Spear and in his left the Pan-Pipes and close beside a Calf feeding
upon fresh herbage.
Sixth: A Man in the garb of a Merchant and Way-Farer
having his eyes turned to the sun and his hands stretched forth.
Seventh: A Boy riding upon a Ram whose left horn
he takes hold of, bearing a Parrot upon his right hand.
The First Image of the Moon: A Crescent-Horned Woman
riding upon a Dolphin, having a Chameleon in her right hand and a Lily in her left.
Second: A Hooded Countryman with a Hook of Fish in
his right hand and holding forward a Trident-Spear grasped in his left.
Third: A Woman ornamented with many Pearls,
wearing vestments of white, a Crystalline Vessel in her right hand and Cat in her left.
Fourth is a Woman seated upon a Hydra having three
necks wherefrom spring Seven Heads, stretching out the empty hollow of her hand.
Fifth: A Boy having a Silver Crown and Sceptre,
mounted upon a Chariot drawn by two Roe-Deer.
Sixth: A Woman riding upon a Panther, armed with a
single Javelin, with snakes coiling about her forelegs and forearms.
Seventh: A Hunter wearing garb of clean linen and his
Hound harrying a Wild Boar in the Woods.