Projective Synthetic Geometry

[jumptothemoonyea]

I don't' know if this subject was already discussed here. I would like to learn more about the Projective Synthetic Geometry, which Aleister Crowley and Frieda Harris used to create the Thoth Tarot deck. The philosophy behind the lines. How they affect us on conscious and sub-conscious level. Do their 2-dimensional projections of parallel universes contain the key to the magic of the Thoth?

Please post here if have any information. I will add here after looking into this.

 

[Rusty Neon]

An oft-cited link:

http://user.cyberlink.ch/~koenig/dplanet/stephen/claas/olive_e.html

 

[thorhammer]

Bumping this thread seems very pertinent just now.

The article at the above link is very interesting but hasn't helped me to understand the whys and wherefores of the choices that LFH made in incorporating PSG into her paintings for the deck.

If anyone can and is willing to explain it for dummies, I'd be very interested.

\m/ Kat

 

[Rosanne]

Firstly look to Freida Harris's involvement with Rudolf Steiner.
as a start you could look at this.....
http://www.nct.anth.org.uk/

then look at articles on Counter Space and Path curves.
These things tell us about the forces that are not subject to usual measurement. Quite often in Freida Harris's work your eye is drawn to a point- that makes a point and connects to other cards by lines and curves. For example look at the Hierophant and see your eye is drawn not to the male figure, but to the hilt of the sword carried by Isis.
Firstly look to the relationship between Rudolf Steiner and Freida Harris.
~Rosanne

 

[Rosanne]

In 1937, Frieda Harris began taking lessons in Projective Synthetic Geometry based upon the teachings of Rudolf Steiner and Goethe, from Olive Whicher and George Adams. Frieda was an engaged student, and informed Whicher that she was incorporating some geometric designs into the Thoth tarot deck with which she was working. Frieda took private lessons from Whicher, and it seems that Whicher visited Frieda at her studio near Regents Park to view ongoing designs for the Thoth Tarot. Whicher says Frieda had dyed her hair bright red, unusual at that time, provoking the question of whether she had become another Scarlet Woman? Despite Olive Whicher's distaste for all things Crowleyan she actively encouraged Frieda in her endeavours.

(Wikipedia)

It was not until 1938 Harris became officially a disciple of Crowley. In fact Crowley had another artist in mind. Freida was a student of Rudolf Steiner and particularly interested in Anthroposophy, a spiritual philosophy based on the teachings of Rudolf Steiner, postulates the existence of an objective, intellectually comprehensible spiritual world accessible to direct experience through inner development — more specifically through cultivating conscientiously a form of thinking independent of sensory experience. In its investigations of the spiritual world, anthroposophy aims to attain the precision and clarity of natural science's investigations of the physical world.
It is thought that Anthroposophy is very important in her cards. So maybe we have here what has been discussed before- parallel thinking, not tutorship. She already was well versed in this before she met Crowley.

~Rosanne

 

[ravenest]

Well .... he didnt use her as the artist just for the heck of it .

 

[Rosanne]

Well I guess Crowley had a lucky break- the person he apparently used to find an artist was a friend, Clifford Bax who moved in the circles of artists. It iniatally was a three month Tarot project. Had either Meum Stewart or Leslie Blanche turned up he would not have invited Frieda Harris instead.
So lucky us. Lucky Crowley.

~Rosanne

 

[ravenest]

It iniatally was a three month Tarot project.

Sounds like his plan to 'rush Everest.'

 

[Rosanne]

Well Leslie Blanch would have had to rush Everest- she had so much travel plans and books to write- I think she would have declined. Her Art was very Victorian- sweet flowers and bonnets. She was an avid international foodie- so she could have thrown meals at Crowley in between cards. Glad she did not turn up.
Meum Stewart (Lindsell- Stewart) was an actress who also painted- so I guess it would have had to be between shows and birthing bonnie babies. Another hearts and flowers Victorian painter. So she would have approved of Crowley's rush on Everest too most likely. He was an optomist with the three months and magical illustrations. These Bohemian ladies often played at the Magic- it was not for real. The best thing about Meum is a bronze statue of her at the Guggenheim. Nah, she would have been a card flake. Might have enamoured Crowley though, he was such a High flyer wannabe. Glad she did not turn up also. Ahh the moments of fate.

~Rosanne

 

[Yygdrasilian]

High flyer

So maybe we have here what has been discussed before- parallel thinking, not tutorship. She already was well versed in this before she met Crowley.

An interesting idea. So, really, she could have done it without him?