THE GRAIL TRIPTYCH

The Grail Triptych, 1909-13, by Anna May von Richter [Rychter], Destroyed by bombing during World War II.

Something that Steiner said in his lectures on art (The Arts and Their Mission) struck me very strongly (among other things),  that it didn’t matter whether  art used naturalism or not but what mattered was whether the spirit shone through in the work. This is an inadequate paraphrase. I recently came across an early 20th century artist that proved this to me. Her style was so unique and unlike other Anthroposophical art practitioners that It convinced me of what I was sure was possible. There is a real embodiment of Anthroposophical experience but with a very different style to other Anthroposophical artists. I came across this extraordinary image along with an essay by Margarethe Hauschka about the work, while looking for something else on the Internet. A translation of the essay by Sonia Homrich may be found at the following link: Link

 My consciousness continually draws parallels from sometimes disparate things. When I saw this image what came to mind was a great 20th century work,  Der Krieg, by Otto Dix. Anna May von Richter’s work seems an antidote to the horror and suffering depicted in Dix’s work.

Otto Dix. Der Krieg (The War). 1929-32

The promise of Early 20th century spiritual trans-formative impulses, though devastated by 2 World Wars and numerous other disasters perpetrated and perpetuated by human beings, has never-the-less survived in the seeds of that promise, which continue to sprout and grow, despite the continuation of human horrors, into the 21st Century. I bare witness to this in my life and in the lives of those I encounter who continue to strive for the spirit in the midst of grief and suffering, preparing the way for joy and wisdom.

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