Lady Frieda Harris
- This article is about a Thelema personality
Lady Frieda Harris (1877–1962) was an English artist renowned for her collaboration with the occultist Aleister Crowley in creating the Thoth Tarot deck. Born Marguerite Frieda Bloxam on August 13, 1877, in London, she was the daughter of surgeon John Astley Bloxam and Jessie Findlay Bloxam. In April 1901, she married Percy Harris, a Liberal Party politician who later became Chief Whip and was created a baronet in 1932. Despite her formal title of Lady Harris, she preferred to be known as Lady Frieda Harris. Harris's artistic journey took a significant turn when she met Aleister Crowley in 1937. At the time, Crowley was seeking an artist to assist in the creation of a new Tarot deck. Introduced by playwright Clifford Bax, Harris, then aged 60, accepted the challenge. Her studies in Rudolf Steiner's Anthroposophy and projective synthetic geometry, based on Goethe's ideas, greatly influenced her work on the Thoth Tarot. She took lessons from Olive Whicher and George Adams to deepen her understanding of these concepts. The collaboration between Harris and Crowley was intensive and transformative. Initially intended to be a traditional deck, Harris encouraged Crowley to infuse his extensive occult, magical, spiritual, and scientific knowledge into the project. She provided financial support throughout the endeavor and leveraged her social connections to secure backers for exhibitions and publications related to the Tarot deck. Their partnership resulted in a series of paintings that combined esoteric symbolism with innovative artistic techniques, culminating in the Thoth Tarot deck. Beyond the Tarot project, Harris was involved in other esoteric and artistic pursuits. She was a Co-Mason and designed a set of tracing boards for the Craft degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft, and Master Mason. These works are noted for their use of projective geometry and are held in high regard within Masonic circles. After her husband's death in 1952, Harris moved to India, where she continued her spiritual and artistic endeavors. She befriended Indian dancer Ram Gopal and collaborated with him on several projects, including set designs for his ballet "The Legend of the Taj Mahal" in 1956. Harris eventually settled in Srinagar, living on a houseboat and immersing herself in the study of Hinduism. Lady Frieda Harris passed away on May 11, 1962, in Srinagar. India. She bequeathed the original paintings of the Thoth Tarot to fellow Thelemite Gerald Yorke, who placed them with the Warburg Institute, ensuring their preservation and accessibility for future generations. Harris's legacy endures through her contributions to esoteric art and the Thelemic tradition. Her work on the Thoth Tarot remains a testament to her artistic skill and deep engagement with mystical and philosophical concepts. The deck continues to be studied and revered by scholars and practitioners of the occult, reflecting the enduring impact of her collaboration with Aleister Crowley.
- More information is available at [ Wikipedia:Lady_Frieda_Harris ]
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