a little bit of rhubarb

By Puggle

Buildings + faeries + reincarnation = brain strain

It's been a long brain-strain of a day, tapping furiously at a keyboard and writing a report that requires an analysis of the influence of Anthroposophy and occultism on early twentieth century architects (and therefore architecture).

This is a bit out of my normal territory. A basic definition of anthroposophy, (cribbed from the online Oxford Dictionary, is "a formal educational, therapeutic, and creative system established by Rudolf Steiner, seeking to use mainly natural means to optimize physical and mental health and well-being."

Which is all fine and dandy. Toss in a few references by prominent architects to fairies, higher planes, angels, and reincarnation, and it becomes a wee bit of a challenge to incorporate into a discussion on building design... but a change is as good as a holiday. I don't have an opinion either way on these topics, in much the same way that I don't have an opinion on wind farms. Don't know much about any of them.

But when I'm incorporating quotes from letters written in the 1930s which say:* "...my dear when you come back to this earth after your sojourn in the spiritual realms, having your architectural background already in this life you'll be ready to float in on the new classic polyphonic idiom which is awaiting the magician's wand to give it its glorious form"#

then my brain sits down in a corner and begins to weep a little, very quietly, to itself.

As I haven't been able to persuade anyone in the office to don angel wings and point commandingly at building elevations- and there was no time for go a-hunting for a blip - I'm settling for a generic flower shot. It's not as original as an anthroposophically-oriented blip, but looking at the flowers made my brain hurt a bit less and were soothing to the eyes after a long day staring at the harsh light of a computer monitor.

Apologies for my lack of commenting over the past day or so.... this shall be remedied!
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* I imagine anthroposophy as a philosophy has evolved since the 1930s, and is potentially a very different kettle of fish now. And I stress this was the more extreme viewpoint of an individual, not the Society. So to anyone who happens to be an anthroposophist... don't send me hate mail. I'm not dissing your natural worldview or that of contemporary anthroposophy in the slightest.
# Cited in Marion Mahony Griffin, The Magic of America, 1949 manuscript

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