Lady
Frieda Harris
Lady
Frieda Harris is renowned as the artist who executed Aleister Crowley's Thoth
Tarot. This was, perhaps, Crowley's greated achievement. If Crowley fathered
it, Harris was its mother. It was not an easy birth. She threw herself into the
painting as the bombs of the Second World War fell, as predicted in the
apocalyptic Third Chapter of their scared text, the Book of the Law. Those
paintings selected for the final pack were exhibited twice in 1941. After
Crowley's death Harris considered selling them, but it was not to be and in the
end she bequeathed them to Gerald Yorke. He placed them with the Warburg
Institute. However, Yorke retained several alternative versions of cards that
were not included in the pack and some preliminary studies. These he sold through
the Cecil Court bookdealer Harold Mortlake. They have been in private hands
since and are now exhibited below available for sale. Also offered are original
photographic prints from the 1940's, many signed by Frieda Harris
The
Emperor
watercolour (22ins x 15ins) Signed by Harris £5995 (SOLD)
The
Magician or Juggler
Watercolour 18ins x 11.5ins In decorated mount, signed by Harris. A note buy
her on reverse states "Original version - Rejected" £2495
The Magus of Juggler
Watercolour 15ins x
11.5ins £6495 (SOLD)
The
Fool
Watercolour 15ins x
11.5ins £2495
The
Moon
Watercolour 15ins x 11.5ins £5995
Knight
of Discs
Watercolour 17.5ins x 11ins in mount with decorated border £5250
Knight
of Wands
Pencil sketch with some colour wash 13ins x 14ins Signed by Harris with her
explanatory notes at foot. In plain mount, crudely trimmed at the foot with
some loss £2495
Hierophant
Water colour 18ins x 10.5ins within plain mount Signed by Frieda Harris £1295 SOLD
Fool
Pencil Drawing £1295 (SOLD)
Lady Frieda Harris, The Masonic Tracing Boards, Three coloured posters
20ins x 14ins c.1975. It is not generally realised that Frieda Lady Harris was
an active co-mason. This is the branch of masonry which was founded by Madame
Blavatsky, Leadbeater and others associated with the Theosophical Society. The
rituals are very much as performed by mainstream Masonry, though there is a
history of viewing the rituals and the Temple in terms of subtle energies which
some Masons might find unusual. As Co-masonry was open to men and women it has
abandoned one of the landmarks of the United Grand Lodge of England, and so has
never been recognised as legitimate by that body. However it seems that some
Masons do recognise the sincerity, value and unique history of Co-masonry. The
impression gained from the outside is that relationship between this tradition
of fringe masonry and the mainstream is informally cordial. Frieda Harris
painted her own versions of the Tracing Boards. The result have the components
of the traditional designs, but are distinctively her own and modern. They can
be seen in the context of the development of the design of the tracing boards
by clicking here:-
The Development of the First Degree Board
The Development of the Second Degree Board
The Development of the Third Degree Board
Alternatively you can view just her designs here (of course the actual posters
show far more detail!):-
Frieda Harris, First Degree Tracing Board
Frieda Harris, Second Degree Tracing Board
Frieda Harris, Third Degree Tracing Board
These posters have their own history. The original paintings were acquired by
British Occultists in the 1970's. Around 1976 a few hundred sets of these
posters were printed. This is the only publication of these designs that there
has been. Posters survive far less well than books, which are only rarely
pinned to walls! Moreover posters are not collected by libraries, and their
existence is not recorded in catalogues and bibliographies. These posters have
become highly sought after by those few who knew of them..