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Isabella Cortese (fl. 1561) was an Italian alchemist and writer of the Renaissance. All that is known of her life and work is from her book on alchemy: The Secrets of Lady Isabella Cortese. Cortese claimed to have studied alchemy for thirty years through traveling around the globe, rather than simply reading older books that discuss the topic of alchemy. Many of these secrets were considered to be proven medical remedies and everyday cure-alls. Experiments that were considered highly effective or had a high success rate however, could be used as an exchange of goods or as a way to pay off debt and in some instances could even help one jump into a higher social standing or class. Many of these remedies, over time and by different cultures, would change and become highly sought after and prized within their given community. Apart from medical and cosmetic remedies, other uses show advice for how to run a household, and also discussion of how to turn metal into gold. The Secrets of Lady Isabella Cortese was very popular. It was published in eleven editions between 1561 and 1677, as well as two editions of a German translation. Part of this success can be attributed to Cortese's insistence on her readers keeping her book's secrets to themselves. She asked her readers to keep people away from their alchemical workplace and to burn her book once they had learned all of its secrets.
