Many people today think of Alchemy as the ancients quest for transmuting lead into gold, or as an archaic forerunner to modern chemistry. Others are drawn to the hidden knowledge contained within alchemical verse, images, and hermetic works as written centuries ago by those who devoted their lives to the study and art of alchemy yet found it very necessary to veil information to avoid various forms of persecution. Still, others are intrigued by the concept of alchemy itself, that is, the very nature of change, the science of change, and the process of change itself.
Then comes Adam Mclean. Originally intrigued by Alchemy’s much discussed psychological and esoteric aspects, it was during the late ’80′s when he became “very aware of the limitations and seductions of such approaches” and has since executed a more methodical approach in his pursuit to study, understand, and share the vast world of alchemical history, art, and allegory.
As the former editor of The Hermetic Journal, he is also editor and publisher of over 60 books on alchemical and Hermetic ideas, having written and researched alchemical and hermetic literature by going directly to source documents; rare and original texts, images and manuscripts as housed at both The Ferguson Collection and Young Collection in Scotland as well as prestigious collections located in London.
In 1995, Mclean launched www.alchemywebsite.com, becoming what today is considered a “must see” destination among students and ethusiast’s as well as colleagues in the field keeping abreast of Mclean’s herculean activity. Besides authoring “A Treatise on Angel Magic”, “A Commentary on the Mutus Liber”, “The Alchemical Mandala”, “The Rosicrucian Emblems of Daniel Cramer” and many other titles he has become a meticulous facsimile artist of alchemical paintings by accurately handcoloring over a thousand 15th-18th century woodcuts and engravings.
He has painstakingly reproduced alchemical, astronomical, astrological and emblematic artworks as never seen before coloured figures from original texts and manuscripts.
After many years of writing, editing, book-binding and painting all things alchemical, Mclean has now allotted a portion of his dynamo to focus on the Tarot, attempting assemblage of it’s many decks into a global database while recognizing the Tarot for its’ merit as the emblematic symbolism of our time. This ongoing endeavor came after realizing that modern day libraries, historians and academia in general have basically failed to chronicle a proper picture of the role and significance that the Tarot serves as a detailed document of modern times. Indeed, as times change, art changes!
Adam Mclean’s life long passion, commitment, and dedication to: study courses on alchemical texts and symbolism, his many publications, new Art Book series, Alchemy weblog, Tarot website, forums, and much, much more are all available at: