From the illustration description in Son of Prometheus:
This image illustrates the quotes from Péladan found on pages 87 and 280. In the first, he issues a battle cry to other artists and initiates: “Brothers in all the arts, I am sounding a battle cry: let us form a holy militia for the salvation of idealism… we will build the Temple of Beauty… for the artist is a priest, a king, a mage, for art is a mystery, the only true empire, the great miracle…”
In the second quote he describes the temple as a microcosm from where the arts emerged, reflecting the macrocosmic universe: “What is a monument, if not a calculation of the lines and volumes for the expression of spiritual will? From the forest path and from the cavern to the cathedral, human work appears colossal… from the savage bull to the genius that guards the temple threshold, through quasi-divine operations the artist raises himself to the level of creator.”
The temple pictured here reflects these descriptions. In the foreground are allegorical representations of all the arts, reflecting the final lines above. The forest path merges with the stairway that is a result of human craftsmanship which in turn rests on the seven liberal arts, key to an esoteric education. This is reflected on the opposite side in the Pythagorean diagrams holding the potentiality for humanity to stand as one with the Creator.
Available in 4 highly limited Editions:
1 Original pen and ink freehand illustration in black and white by Sasha Chaitow on Saunders Waterford rough Watercolour paper, 31×41 cm as reprinted in Son of Prometheus: The Life and Work of Joséphin Péladan; Sigilized by the artist.
Only 1 print fully hand-colored in antique, drawing, and calligraphy inks by Sasha Chaitow on smooth watercolour paper, c.30×42 cm. Signed, numbered*, dated by the artist.
Only 1 print dichromatically hand-colored (red + gold) in antique, drawing, and calligraphy inks by Sasha Chaitow on smooth watercolour paper, c.30×42 cm. Signed, numbered*, dated by the artist.
3 black and white prints on smooth watercolour paper, c.30×42 cm. Signed, numbered*, dated by the artist.
* numbered as part of one of seven print sets, i.e. 3/7, 4/7, 5/7 (black and white), 6/7 (diachromatic) or 7/7 (fully colored). Print sets 1 and 2 are privately owned and currently not for sale.
