This one of a kind journal is bound in natural leather painted by hand, inspired by an illustration from Mundus Subterraneus, a scientific textbook from 1665 written by Athanasius Kircher (The subterranean world, all its riches). The work depicts the imaginary geography of Earth. This cross section of the Earth, originally black and white, is my vision in vivid colors of the interior fires of the planet, that expand from the center into a network of tunnels and errupt into the outside into vulcanos that relase fires and smoke into the atmosphere. Originally the image was born as inspiration after Kircher's visit to southern Italy in 1638, when he lowered into the crater of Vesuvius, then on the brink of eruption, to examine its interior. In my binding the planet is surrounded by a cosmic landscape with flying comets, planets, nebulae, forming an overall alchemical fusion of fire, water, air, and perhaps spirit.
The painting on the leather cover was made with leather dyes and sealed so that it does not wear off during time. A patina was applied to the entire book with transparent glazes make it resemble an old mysterious book.
The book measures 10.2 x 7.3 inches (26 x 18.5 cm) and has 126pages (252 sides). It is filled with artist quality paper, Laguna Prisma, ivory color, blank, 160 g/m². The paper is hand torn and works for any media including watercolor. It is acid free and does not bleed through.
The endpages are made of hand marbled paper with orange, red and black veins. The headbands were hand sewn using thread in three colors, red, yellow and brown.
This book is an art objects. Whether you will use it as a magic journal, a secret diary, a family heirloom, it will make a beautiful addition to your home library.
