The goals of alchemy have fascinated humanity for centuries. Much more than the art of turning base metals into gold, alchemy is a system of cosmic symbolism, a grand allegory for spiritual fulfilment and a mystic guide to achieving oneness with the world. Here is an introduction to the complex imagery and cyclic processes of both the alchemist’s art and alchemical artwork, in which gold is an emblem of its crowning glory, the elixir of life a stepping-stone to greater wonders.