Urszula Szulakowska is a Lecturer in the School of Fine Art, History of Art & Cultural Studies at the University of Leeds, UK. She has written extensively on the history of alchemical illustration from the Renaissance period to the present day.

'Urszula Szulakowska has established herself as an indispensable authority on the artistic as well as ideological aspects of early modern alchemy. This time she ventures into the modern period and opens up hitherto unexplored territories.' Gyorgy E. Szonyi, University of Szeged, Hungary

• Contents: Introduction; The alchemical legacy; The French Surrealists and alchemy; The theatre of alchemy: Artaud, Duchamp, Klein; Alchemy in American art?; Redemption; Black alchemy: the photographic library; Gender and abjection; Women's alchemy; Australian art and the esoteric tradition; Earth magic; Alchemy and art in the Czech State and Poland; Afterthought: politics or poetry?; Bibliography; Index.

Urszula Szulakowska is a Lecturer in the School of Fine Art, History of Art & Cultural Studies at the University of Leeds, UK. She has written extensively on the history of alchemical illustration from the Renaissance period to the present day.

'Urszula Szulakowska has established herself as an indispensable authority on the artistic as well as ideological aspects of early modern alchemy. This time she ventures into the modern period and opens up hitherto unexplored territories.' Gyorgy E. Szonyi, University of Szeged, Hungary

• Contents: Introduction; The alchemical legacy; The French Surrealists and alchemy; The theatre of alchemy: Artaud, Duchamp, Klein; Alchemy in American art?; Redemption; Black alchemy: the photographic library; Gender and abjection; Women's alchemy; Australian art and the esoteric tradition; Earth magic; Alchemy and art in the Czech State and Poland; Afterthought: politics or poetry?; Bibliography; Index.