“Occultism is the study of the
spiritual world which is hidden from ordinary vision. The word itself is derived from the Latin occulta,
‘hidden things’, and implies that the visible world is not the only one of
importance to man.”
Thus begins the most enlightening
and insightful book on the occult images and ideas hidden in classical art I
have ever come across. This Library I
work for is a GOLD MINE! Born in 1937,
Fred Gettings wrote extensively on occult and symbological matters, publishing
many works before his death in 2013.
This book deals specifically with artists who embedded hidden imagery or
knowledge within their artwork, and how to best “read” these works to
understand the occult information conveyed within.
First, I must define the “Occult”
and what it means in this context. As
stated in the quote above, occult knowledge just means hidden knowledge. Too many people buy into the lie told by
christian leaders that occult knowledge is inherently evil, or satanic. This is how they scare the deluded idiots
into not asking questions or making their own decisions. For example, when telling very young children
about procreation, the story of the stork is often used. This story occults the true process of
procreation (carnal fornication, male ejaculation inside the female, and the
coming together of two zygotes to form a living cell, which then splits and
splits, cells differentiating, until a baby is popped out the vaginal tube,
ready to breathe the good air of this world), replacing it with an inert and
inoffensive tale of a stork that delivers all new babies to their mothers. Until the child grows up and is taught, or
discovers, the actual truth of procreation that knowledge is willfully
occulted. The reality has been hidden
from children for their own good, or so many parents used to think. This is also how religious and political
leaders think of the great unwashed masses of humans outside their castles,
temples, and private mansions.
Fred Gettings was exasperated with
the state of art criticism and art history at the time of his writing this
work. He was adamant that to understand
the art of the past, historians and critics must take into account the intended
purposes and meanings portrayed in the art itself, many of which related to the
occulted knowledge shared by mystery schools, secret religious orders, and
others who seek to retain and disseminate these ancient ideas. Gettings’ complaints about art critics and
historians still ring true today. Too
many art critics analyze work from the past through a very modern lens, one
that places importance on modern artistic ideals, instead of the ideals of the
artists in question.
For example, one may view a
300-year-old painting of the crucifixion, which, through modern eyes and ideas,
can be analyzed structurally, compositionally, and emotionally. It is a valid form of criticism, but it
leaves out the most important part of the artwork, the theme and subject, as
well as the artist’s personal connection to the image he or she created. William Blake was a well-known mystic and
weirdo, yet many of the modern analysis and critiques of his work ignore that
most salient point. Each of Blake’s
artworks come from a place of deep wonder and exploration into the metaphysical
and spiritual inner mind of man. In
order to share those ideas in a visual medium, new symbols and metaphors must
be created. These symbols and the
compositional elements are what Fred Gettings masterfully describes.
Occult knowledge has a deep human
past. Initially drawn from the ancient
Mystery schools that kept the advanced knowledge of our world and universe
secret and safe amongst chosen initiates and away from the ignorant and violent
masses, this knowledge has reached our modern world, surviving the past two
thousand years of omnipresent suppression by the Catholic Church. Many of the early christians had deeply
symbolic and mythical ideas about the trinity, the divinity of Jesus, and the
role of man in the cosmos. It is man’s
place in the world that many of the artists in this book analyze and explore. Because of this, great insight is gained into
the work of William Blake, Max Ernst, Wassily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, and
other masters. It is impressive how
occult knowledge influenced the creation of abstract art, something modern
critics fail to recognize, even as it stares them in the face.
The main way to maintain occult
knowledge and to share it with subsequent generations is through
architecture. It lasts much longer than
written texts, or painted images. The
modern fraternal organization of Freemasonry is one of the descendants, at
least in spirit, of the early secret societies.
During the first thousand years of organized christianity the builders
of the churches designed and decorated them with many occult symbols and ideas. If the wisdom is displayed in stone, it is
available to any and all, even the illiterate and uneducated. Including esoteric teachings and wisdom in
images and architectural details ensured that only those “with eyes to see and
ears to hear” understood the message, preserving the hidden knowledge from
those that seek to destroy it, namely, the catholic church that styles itself
as the supreme arbiter of what is real, important, christian, holy, etc.
Fred Gettings is clear and concise in his explanations, and astute in his
observations. His attempt to share the
hidden world of art serves to expand the mind, and open it up to new ways of
seeing, of learning, and of understanding the artistic creations of our
ancestors. I look forward to digging up
some more of Mr. Gettings insightful books, and sharing my thoughts about them
with my readers.
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