From the illustration description in Son of Prometheus:
Chapter 4 describes Péladan’s concepts on the rending of the primordial androgyne, and the need for the new entities, Adam and Aischa, to find their way back towards union. It was their separation, Péladan wrote, which gave them the ability to become self-aware, but this would only be complete once the pair could reunite in body, soul, and spirit. The process of kaloprosopia is one of the ways Péladan proposed for achieving this.
The illustration reflects the first Fall according to Péladan. It is the moment of the rending of the primordial androgyne and the formation of the first couple. The eyes surrounding the couple are those of the doomed Watchers, already cast to earth, whose only hope is that the pair fulfil their potential – but now they are governed by free will. Contained within Orpheus’ lyre – the fount of creativity, the image borrows a motif from George Frederic Watts’ painting Hope (1886) in which a blindfolded woman – Hope – sits atop the last planet in a dying universe, holding a lyre with only one string remaining. Should it break, hope is extinguished. But it might sing, and restore the universe to life – hence the allegory of Hope. Adam lifts the string aloft, but it is Aischa who must play it. Will she? Will it sing? Will it break? Lucifer’s children look on, and wait.
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.
