Ithell Colquhoun


Ithell Colquhoun was born in 1906 and died in 1988. A graduate of the Slade School of Art she travelled to Paris where she was first influenced by the Surrealists. Her first solo exhibitions came in 1936, her style, which she described as "magic realism" showed the influence of Dali. In 1939 she visited Andre Breton and first experiemented with automatic art.ithell.jpg - 967550 Bytes
In 1940 she was expelled from the Lonodn Surrealist Group as she refused to accept its authoritarian restrictions upon the activities of member artists. She went on to invent an new methods of automatic art and is certainly the most prominent woman surrealist artist to have resided in the British Isles.

She was also a succussful writer, her alchemically themed story the Goose of Hermogenes was first published in 1961 and has recently be republished by a mainstream publisher. She wrote good travel books about both Ireland and Cornwall and a number of articles in various journals.

She had a long standing interest in Occultism. Her cousin was E.J.Garston who was a member of the off-shoot of the Golden Dawn headed by Moina Mathers and published a number of books and articles concerning alchemy and magic. Through him she had access to a number of original Golden Dawn manuscripts as well as a feast of oral lore concerning the Order. Her particular involvement in that current was though the Ancient Order of the Phoenix which was founded by Tamara Boorkhoun on the basis of Inner Plane contacts and worked the rituals as supplied by Israel Regardie. The inner Order of the Pyramid and the Sphinx explored Enochian Magic. In 1975 she published the excellent Sword of Wisdom, a biography of Mathers which is noted for a wealth of information, at times speculative, concerning survivals of the Golden Dawn. Being well informed and written with the insight of a magician rather than an academic the correspondence she received as a result of this work is a goldmine of information concerning related occut traditions. Her occult involvement was not, however confined to the Golden Dawn tradition alone. She was a member of the O.T.O. and recognised as such by Karl Germer both prior to and after his expulsion of Grant. Hwoever she was also a member of Grant's Nu Isis Lodge and a page of Starfire was dedicated to her memory by the Sanctuary of the Gnosis of the Typhonian O.T.O. following her death. She was a Druid being at different times a member of English and French Druid Orders and an attended Gorsedds in Brittany and Cornwall. She was also an active member of a rite of Freemasonry that was open to men and women.

Certainly she is a major figure in Twentieth Century occultism..


Cross 1 Cross 2 Cross 3 Cross 4 Cross 5
A series of 5 images the development of the Latin Cross from the cube. Pen, watercolour and metallic paint on graph paper glued to file paper. The first and second images are approx. 2.5ins square and 3ins x 4ins respectively and are fixed to the same sheet. The third image is 5ins x 4ins, the fourth 5ins x 3ins, the fifth 5.5ins x 4ins. The sheets upon which the images are fixed carry a brief description of the process and are each sigilised by the author Order No. 73106 SOLD


Cube 1 Cube 2 Cube 3 Cube 4 Cube 5
A series of 5 images the development of the Cross from the Double Cube with reference to the ten Sephiroth. Pen, watercolour and metallic paint on graph paper glued to file paper. The first and second images are approx. 3ins x 2in and 6ins x 5ins respectively and are fixed to the same sheet. The third image is 7ins x 6ins, the fourth 7ins x 5.5ins, the fifth 8ins x 6ins. The sheets upon which the images are fixed carry a brief description of the process and are each sigilised by the author Order No. 73105 SOLD


Swastika 1 Swastika 2 Swastika 3 Swastika 4
A series of 4 images the development of the Swastika with reference to the elemental and zodiac attributions given in the Goden Dawn. Pen, watercolour and metallic paint on graph paper glued to file paper. The first and second images are approx. 3ins square and 4ins square respectively and are fixed to the same sheet. The third image is 8ins square, the fourth is 9ins square.. The sheets upon which the images are fixed carry a brief description of the process and are each sigilised by the author. The latter two have ben folded along one edge to fit in a file The numeration suggests that there was one image before these however the series does appear complete Order No. 73199 SOLD


Tattwas Through The Day
Not dated \Pen and watercolour on graph paper fixed to lined paper which is 10ins x 8ins F Order No. 73093 SOLD


Sandalphon 1 Sandalphon 2 Sandalphon 3
not dated 10 sheets of graph paper (10ins x 8ins) seven carry notes and diagrams for the construction of angelic images of such angelic beings as Zadkiel, Metatron, Raphiel and Sandalphon, three coloured watercolour images portray the creation of the latter. The porcess involves a process of geometry which clearly fascinated Ithell Colquhoun, plotting the Hebrew letters upon the geometric figure, working out colour attributions and creating a figure from that. Aside from being an example of Ithell Colquhoun's most occult work, and a link through her to the being itself, this series represents an occult technique developed by her that has never been published. The completed angel Sandalphon has been signed by the artist with her sigil VG Order No. 73083 SOLD


Telesmatic Image of the Sephiroth
Telesmatic Image of the Sephiroth with notes, not dated On graph paper (10ins x 8ins) watercolour with notes in pen G some marks Order No. 73084 SOLD


Geomantic Zodiac
,Not Dated Pen and watercolour. Exactly 6ins x 2ins on paper fixed to a lined sheet of paper 10ins x 8ins with titles of the figures, signed by the artist with her sigil with 5 pages of handwritten notes F Order No. 73102 SOLD


Rose-Cross Symbol related to the Spectrum
Pen and watercolour diagram 6ins in diameter on graph paper which has then been fixed to a sheet of lined paper 10ins x 8ins with 4 pages of supporting handwritten notes. This system, as one might expect from an accomplished artist, is elegant, the mix of pigments is worked out according to symbolism and then, by looking at the segments opposite eachother, gives the flashing colours with attributions to the Hebrew letter. Original, unpublished and of great use to many working the Golden Dawn tradition Order No. 73002 SOLD


Zauir Anpin in Atziluth, Briah and Yetzirah
6 oblongs of card are individually painted and then fixed upon a hexagonal piece and then all are fixed upon lined paper. A central circle is cut out of the hexagram to reveal gold paint underneath. This is done three times in various combinations to demonstrate colour attributions of the Zauir Anpin, or Microprospus, in the three Kabbalistic Worlds which lie beyond physical existence. The Microprospus comprises six of the Sephiroth, hence the use of hexargam. The conception of Zauir Anpin, the Microprospus or Lesser Countenance in this manner is very original Order Number 73094 SOLD


Telematic Tree in King Scale
Aid to meditation constructed from card painted black (7ins x 4ins) with coloured circles of paper pasted on, all mounted upon a card Order Number 73108 SOLD


Hexagram
Aid to Meditation made from paper painted with watercolours mounted on black card (9ins x 8ins) Order Number 73109 SOLD


Vault of the Adepts
(One of seven panels here illustrated. 8ins x 35 in. Pen and watercolour on joined pieces graph paper, obviously intended to create a model of the Golden Dawn vault of the adepts used in the Adeptus Minor inititation. Also enclosed three sides of handwritten notes upon the subjet by Ithell Colquhoun plus two preliminary pieces of artwork. Marks on reverse indicate that the model was constructed and used Order Number 73110 SOLD


Wood of the Cross
Original artwork with text, undated Would appear to be an identification of divinity with trees drawing upon Biblical references. 4 sheets of graph paper with watercolour and pen plus text and another leaf with handwritten notes. The symbolism is obscure VG Order No. 73135 SOLD


Vision 1
Original artwork Pen and watercolour on paper 10ins x 8ins Unsigned and untitled but from a folder marked "Visions" F Order No. 73132 SOLD


Vision 2
Original artwork Pen and watercolour on paper 10ins x 8ins Unsigned and untitled but from a folder marked "Visions" F Order No. 73131 SOLD