Concerning the Spiritual in Art

Abstract

Abstract This chapter explores Harris’s early artistic influences, with specific reference to their spiritual and mystical undercurrents. A discussion of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century British art is presented, with an assessment of how female artists were perceived in middle-class society and of the opportunities available to them. Particular influences such as the fourth dimension and surrealism are examined. Harris’s artistic evolution is analysed, taking into account her lack of formal training, and comparisons drawn with fellow Tarot artists Pamela Colman Smith and Ithell Colquhoun. Her illustrations for her book Winchelsea are assessed, and consideration is given to her developing style during the 1930s, which included artwork for her husband’s political campaigns, set designs for the Ballet Russes, and various London exhibitions. Harris’s adoption of an alter ego, Jesus Chutney, to disguise her identity as the wife of a senior politician is also explored.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source., 2024 · DOI ↗