After 20 mural proposals were rejected, finally one was accepted. Dissertation on Alchemy was painted on the wall of the Chemistry Building of the San Francisco State College. Abstract-surreal figures and forms laid out the theory of alchemy with ancient and classical symbols. Painted in 1937, Dissertation on Alchemy was described by the artist in a well-researched essay. The mural was recently restored and exists in the Haight Street Art Center in San Francisco.
*The following is a document Reuben prepared shortly after completing Dissertation on Alchemy in August of 1937:*
AN EXPLANATION OF THE SYMBOLIC ELEMENTS OF THE MURAL DECORATION BY REUBEN KADISH (UNDER THE WPA FEDERAL ART PROJECT) IN THE EAST CORRIDOR OF THE HALL OF NATURAL SCIENCE, SAN FRANCISCO STATE COLLEGE, HAIGHT AND BUCHANAN STREETS, SAN FRANCISCO.
THIS MURAL HAS BEEN PAINTED BY REUBEN KADISH, WHILE WORKING UNDER THE FEDERAL ART PROJECT WPA. IT WAS UNDERTAKEN IN DECEMBER 1936 AND COMPLETED AUGUST 1937.
THE SUBJECT-MATTER IS TREATED IN THE FORM OF: “A DISSERTATION ON ALCHEMY”.
WHY HAS THE ARTIST CHOSEN THIS REMOTE SUBJECT FOR PRESENT DAY TREATMENT?
1. BECAUSE THE PAINTER WISHED TO PRESENT HISTORY IN A WAY THAT WOULD BE STIMULATING AND A FRESH EXPERIENCE.
2. BECAUSE THE MATERIALS INVOLVED IN THIS SUBJECT PRESENT INTERESTING PLASTIC FORMS TO BE ORGANIZED ON A WALL AS A MURAL DECORATION, (THUS THIS WALL HAS BEEN TREATED “ARCHITECTURALLY”, THAT IS TO UTILIZE, INCREASE, AND COMPLIMENT THE STRUCTURAL SPACE IN ITS SURROUNDINGS).
IN LIGHT OF THE OBSCURITY OF THE SUBJECT THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL IS PRESENTED FOR THE CLARIFICATION OF THE FORMS USED IN THIS MURAL:
1. IT IS A MISAPPREHENSION TO ASSUME THAT THE ALCHEMIST WAS INTERESTED ONLY IN MAKING GOLD FROM BASE METALS. HIS OBJECTIVE WAS MUCH MORE GENERAL. HE FUNCTIONED ACTIVELY, IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER, FOR THREE THOUSAND YEARS, FROM 1700 A.D. BACK, AND HE WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO REDUCE PHYSICAL MATTER TO A SPIRITUAL FORCE. HIS PURPOSE IN THIS WAS TO GIVE HIMSELF MASTERY OF THE UNIVERSE, BECAUSE HE BELIEVED THAT WHEN THIS TRANSFORMATION OF PHYSICAL TO SPIRITUAL WOULD TAKE PLACE THERE WOULD RESULT A MATERIAL OBJECT, FOR EXAMPLE: THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE SO-CALLED, WHICH WOULD HAVE TREMENDOUS MAGIC POWERS.
2. IT WAS PYTHAGORAS, PERHAPS DISSATISFIED WITH THE ARCHAIC CONCEPTS OF THE ELEMENTS (EARTH, AIR, FIRE, WATER), WHO DECLARED THAT THERE MUST BE A BUT, HE ARGUED, THIS ELEMENT WOULD COME INTO BEING AS A RESULT OF THE COMBINATION OF THE OTHER FOUR; THIS ELEMENT WOULD BE, IN EFFECT, THE SPIRIT OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS. IT WAS WITH THE MATERIALIZATION OF THE FIFTH ELEMENT, QUINTERA ESSENCIA, THAT THE ALCHEMIST WAS CONCERNED.
FIFTH
3. THE ALCHEMIST WAS, IN HIS WAY, VERY LITERAL MINDED. FOR INSTANCE ONE HERMES TRISMEGISTUS ADVANCED THE THEORY THAT THE ELEMENTS COULD COMBINE EFFECTIVELY ONLY IN AN ABSOLUTELY SEALED RECEPTACLE. (IT IS FROM THIS HERMES THAT WE GET THE WORD HERMETICAL). THE EGG IS A FORM WHICH IS CERTAINLY COMPLETELY SEALED. SO THE EGG BECAME THE SYMBOL FOR THE UNITING OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS, BUT IT WAS CALLED . THE ALCHEMIST BELIEVED THAT, WITH HATCHING OF THE EGG, THERE WOULD BE PRODUCED THE SO-CALLED , AND IF HE COULD EVER EFFECT THE COMBINATION OF THE FOUR MATERIAL ELEMENTS AND THUS PRODUCE THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE, THE ALCHEMIST BELIEVED THAT WITH THE STONE HE COULD TURN BACK TIME, CAPTURE THE ELIXER OF LIFE, CURE ALL AILMENTS, PERFORM ALL IMPOSSIBILITIES. SO HE WENT ABOUT MAKING EGG-SHAPED VESSELS AND BREWING TOGETHER EARTH, FIRE, WATER AND AIR.
THE PHILOSOPHER’S EGG
PHILOSOPHER’S STONE
4. NOW TO LOOK AT THE PRESENTATIONS OF THESE MATTERS IN THE MURAL: THE PANEL IN THE CENTER TELLS THE STORY OF THE FIVE ELEMENTS. HERE IS THE PHILOSOPHER’S EGG, CRACKED OPEN. BETWEEN THE TWO HALVES OF THE BROKEN SHELL ARE SEEN THE FOUR MATERIAL ELEMENTS CONCEIVED AS ELEMENTAL GEOMETRIC FORMS AND EACH INDICATED BY ITS PROPER COLOR: FOR THE EARTH (SPHERE) EARTH COLORS; FOR FIRE (SPIRAL) RED; FOR AIR (PYRAMID) YELLOW; FOR THE SEA (CUBE) BLUE. IMMEDIATELY ABOVE THE EGG WE SEE THE HEAD WHICH SYMBOLIZED QUINTERA ESSENCIA. (WE MIGHT PAUSE TO NOTE THAT OUR WORD QUINTESSENCA {SIC} COMES FROM THIS TERM). IT WILL BE SEEN THAT THIS HEAD IS PAINTED IN THE COLOR BLACK, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A COMBINATION OF THE ELEMENTARY COLORS, USED IN THIS PAINTING TO REPRESENT THE MATERIAL ELEMENTS.
5. IN THE PANEL TO THE OBSERVER’S RIGHT IS SUSPENDED THE SUN, WHICH IS BEING SQUEEZED BY A HUGE HAND. THERE IS AN ACTUAL ALCHEMIST (KELLY 16 CENTURY, RECLIPI (SIC) FOR THE MAKING OF GOLD: SQUEEZE THE SUN UNTIL IT BLEEDS: WHEN TWO ANGELS FLY OUT – ONE THE ANGEL OF IRON, THE OTHER OF SILVER – THE REMAINING LIQUID WILL BE GOLD). BELOW THIS IS THE CONSUMATION OF THE ALCHEMIST’S DREAMS. HERE IS SEEN THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE RESTING ON THE STAND – ABOVE IT IS THE SALAMANDER-DRAGON WHICH IS FOR PHILOSOPHIC KNOWLEDGE. (THE SALAMANDER IS THE CLASSIC SYMBOL FOR THE EPITOME OF PHILOSOPHIC KNOWLEDGE AND THE ALCHEMIST SOLEMNLY BELIEVED THAT WHEN THE SALAMANDER BEGAN TO DEVOUR HIMSELF, TAIL FIRST, AT THAT MOMENT WOULD BEGIN THE HATCHING OF THE PHILOSOPHER’S EGG). TO THE RIGHT IS THE BODY OF THE QUINTERA ESSENTIA WHOSE HEAD IS IN THE TOP CENTER.
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6. IN THE PANEL TO THE LEFT WE HAVE IN SUCCESSION FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, A GREAT PYRITE IN CRYSTALLINE FORM – FOOL’S GOLD. BENEATH IS THE PHILOSOPHER’S EGG, UNHATCHED, WITH THE GEOMETRICAL SIGN REPRESENTING THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE AND SEATED IN HIS CELL, THE PONDERING ALCHEMIST.
7. IN THE FINAL SECTION IN THE BOTTOM THE FOUR LITTLE LANDSCAPES AGAIN SYMBOLIZE THE FOUR MATERIAL ELEMENTS. AMONG THEM IS SEEN A SALAMANDER ABOUT TO SWALLOW HIS TAIL.
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