From the illustration description in Son of Prometheus:
In Chapter 4 (p. 254-255, 282) Péladan speaks of Sina the Ereckian; Lucifer’s bride, who is frozen in punishment for the same crime of trying to reveal divine mysteries to humanity. Sina is identified as Istar, sometimes conflated with Inanna or Astarte. Here we see her at the moment of the Fall. The name Ereck refers to Uruk, the ancient city of Sumer and home of the ancient civilization he so admired. The lettering on the cave wall spells out the name Istar in cuneiform. Péladan also calls her Cypris, reflecting the Greek Aphrodite. Aphrodite was often depicted with her foot resting on a tortoise, while the lion is associated with Istar. The owl is in some ways self-explanatory; here it is both a reference to hidden wisdom (entering the cave) and also echoes the owls on a well-known bas-relief said to depict Inanna or Istar. Likewise, the sphinx to her right reflects the (rare female) sphinxes on a figurine of Astarte. The falling tower in the background (with Uruk written on the side in cuneiform) reflects the Tarot card of the same name usually interpreted as foreshadowing some great catastrophe or twist of fate… The cave on the other hand is a sanctuary, but from this point on, in order to enter it one needs to get past the guardians. It is accompanied by this fragment from Péladan’s Istar (1888):
“I am the Crown. For I am the Beauty of Forms. The Hierarchy defends me; one cannot triumph over me except through the Spirit. I obey none except the Mage of the supreme Temple. Eternal wisdom has destined me to console Genius. I, Istar, Queen of Heaven.”
Though the image is a conscious, sometimes anachronistic conflation of several different goddesses and civilizations, this reflects Péladan’s thought process, and is deliberate. The same applies to all of the illustrations.
Available in 4 highly limited Editions:
1 Original pen and ink freehand illustration in black and white (SOLD) 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.
