Arnaldus de Villa Nova

Who was Arnaldus de Villa Nova?

Arnaldus de Villa Nova was an alchemist, astrologer and physician.

He was born in some city of the kingdom of Aragon, Villanueva de Jiloca or Valencia, and to have studied chemistry, medicine, physics, and also Arabic philosophy. After having lived at the court of Aragon and taught many years in Montpellier School of Medicine, he went to Paris, where he gained a considerable reputation; but he incurred the enmity of the ecclesiastics and was forced to flee, finally finding an asylum in Sicily. About 1313 he was summoned to Avignon by Pope Clement V, who was ill, but he died on the voyage off the coast of Genoa.

He is credited with translating a number of medical texts from Arabic, including works by Ibn Sina, Qusta ibn Luqa, and Galen. Many alchemical writings, including Thesaurus Thesaurorum or Rosarius Philosophorum, Novum Lumen, and Flos Florum, are also ascribed to him, but they are of very doubtful authenticity. Collected editions of them were published at Lyon in 1504 and 1532, at Basel in 1585, at Frankfurt in 1603, and at Lyon in 1686. Villa Nova is credited with using a Camera Obscura to project live performances for entertainment.