Joséphin Péladan | Genii de la Rose+Croix

Information

Materials Inks on thick deckle Khadi paper
Dimensions Approximately 29 x 41 cm.
This paper is handmade and some variation is expected.
Created Summer 2022.
Prints
This painting is reproduced in 7 signed and numbered archival prints on thick watercolour paper.

Explanation of the symbolism

The life and work of Joséphin Péladan is the subject of my doctoral research, released as a book in November 2022 by Theion Publishing.

This stylised portrait borrows mainly from the mosaics at Ravenna cathedral, to provide a sense of the fusion between Eastern and Western thought as found in Péladan's work. The Grail in his hand (covered to denote sacred work) and the descending dove of the Holy Spirit reflect the emblem of his Rosicrucian Order (also depicted on his epaulette). The tiger seal at the top left is the design he commissioned and used in his lifetime. The legend reads Joséphin Péladan, novelist, author, philosopher, art critic, savant and zelator of the Rose-Croix, his own self-designation found in his unpublished notes for an autobiography.

This piece heads up the Genii of the Rose-Croix collection, created to complement the illustrations to my book, and to mark a new collection of work honouring historical and mythical figures that are significant to Péladan's thought.

Commissions

If the original has sold, I will not create an identical copy for you, but I am happy to discuss making a fresh icon using slightly different materials. Please contact me at [email protected] with your specifications.