Eugene Wieland was an artist and writer, his wife Ethel a poet. They married for love and lived for their art in a life of romantic poverty. Their tiny flat was overlooked by a noted travel writer of the day, Elizabeth Robins Pennell. Unable to afford curtains the successful writer could not help but observe their Bohemian lifestyle and wrote of them in a popular magazine. Eugene and Ethel introduced themselves and the article was fleshed out into the successful the book "The Lovers"

This book mentions that Eugene found employment with the poet "Craven", a pseudonymon for Aleister Crowley but there is more to the story than that. Ethel was a member of Crowley's A.'.A.'. and contributed to the Equinox. She carried out the practices recommended and recorded the results. Eugene manned the offices of the Equinox, dealing with letters from applicants to the A..'.A.'. In due course the Equinox was published under his name as well as the Book of Lies, Mortadello and Palamedes. Once Crowley received an O.T.O. charter Eugene assisted with numerous initiations. Both Ethel and Eugene were important members of the Crowley circle at this time which represented the first manifestation of Thelema through both the A.'.A.'. and O.T.O. systems. More than this they were closely involved with the web of friendships and animosities which operated around Crowley at this period.

However they found this involvement unsustainable and both withdrew, Eugene formally resigning all contact with Crowley. The Great War loomed and he joined as a private. He was promoted and saw action before being dying of wounds received at the Battle of Loos in 1915. His wartime letters to Ethel were published in Pennell's book the Lovers. The article had been a celebration of young idealistic love, the book was a memorial for its loss in the carnage of the trenches.

In 1930 Ethel published a first hand account of Crowley and the Equinox circle in the Hieroglyph, the title being a pseudonumn for the Equinox itself and Crowley in thinly disguised as Vladimir Svaroff. This too reproduced Eugene's wartime letters. It also describes a later visit to Neuburg's (or Newton's) home at Steyning, Sussex. The final twist of the plot is entirely fictional as Crowley finds peace as a Catholic monk. This reflected Ethel's own spiritual journey. Her poem-masque Phantasy, which was published by fellow Crowley survivor Neuburg, was well received in Catholic circles being enthusiastically reviewed in the Catholic Gazette and was put to music by the Catholic composer Dorothy Godwin-Foster. Indeed Ethel also wrote about poetry and religion for the Christian Evidence Society. There is irony here. Phantasy was originally written at the height of her involvement with Crowley and is in no way inconsistent with her Thelemic associations.

Ethel Archer

Eugene Wieland

"Eden" by Eugene Wieland, "Phantasy" by Ethel Archer
Original pencil on paper by Eugene Wieland, signed and dated 1913. 10ins x 7ins, rather creased and worn. Text indicates that the vista is set in Eden. A treatment of the image by Ethel Archer, a similar size also pencil on paper, signed but not dated though address on reverse would suggest a date of 1918 or later. Somewhat creaded. A note in Archer's hand indsicatess that it is intended as an illustration for her poem - masque Phantasy. The image is curious a satyr and a female figure but on closer examination it can be seen that they share one pair of feet. This suggests the inner polarity that is a theme for some alchemical symbolism. Or perhaps it is the bi-polar figure created upon an astral realm created by the interaction of lovers on the mundane? Both drawings £120

Whirlpool
Illustration of cover of Ethel Archer, the Whirlpool Wieland and Co. 1911 44pp plus (4pp) adverts. Introduction by Aleister Crowley. Probably 200 copies were printed. VG+ copy £185

Eugene Wieland, Landscape 1
Pen and ink on card, 3ins x 8ins, 1905 £40

Eugene Wieland, Landscape 2
Pen and ink on card, 3ins x 8ins, 1905 £40

Eugene Wieland, Landscape 3
Pen and ink on card, 3ins x 8ins, 1905 £40

Eugene Wieland, Landscape 4
Pen and ink on card, 3ins x 8ins, 1905 £40

Eugene Wieland, Landscape 5
Pen and ink on card, 3ins x 8ins, dated 1905 £40

Eugene Wieland, Landscape 6
Watercolour on card, 3ins x 8ins, 1905 £40

Ethel Archer collection, collage of items 1 .

Ethel Archer collection, collage of items 2 .

Ethel Archer collection, collage of items 3