Thought Forms (book)

Thought Forms was a book written by Annie Besant and Charles Webster Leadbeater in 1901 on the titular subject of Thought-Forms.

Writing of the book

The genesis of the book was an article by Annie Besant printed in the September, 1896 issue of Lucifer. These are the original illustrations from that article:

• 
• 
• 
• 

Charles Leadbeater worked with Annie Besant to develop this concept further, describing their clairvoyant observations to painters to produce the images for the 1905 book. The illustrations were painted by "Mr. John Varley [1850-99, grandson of John Varley], Mr. Prince and Miss Macfarlane."

Publication history

The first edition of Thought-Forms came out in 1905. It was published in London and Benares by the Theosophical Publishing Society, and in New York by John Lane. In the United States, the book was distributed by the Theosophical Book Concern of Chicago. The volume was hardbound in both green and red covers.

When the next edition was published in 1925 by the Theosophical Publishing House, it incorrectly stated "First Printed 1901 - Reprint 1905 - Reprint 1925." John L. Crow wrote an account of how this error was propagated through subsequent editions and library catalogs. "Why the date of 1901 was introduced is unknown. Kurt Leland, an Annie Besant specialist, theorized that the publishers were confused by Besant's publication, Thought Power, which was published in 1901."

In later editions the hyphen was removed from the title.

Digital versions

• The illustrations from the 1905 Benares edition is available at Fulltable.

Influence on art

THIS SECTION UNDER CONSTRUCTION
THIS SECTION UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Wassily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, Paul Klee, and other artists were heavily influenced by this book.

Events featuring this book

The Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts held a 3-day workshop with lectures by Richard Flores and Kevin Wallace on April 12-14, 2013:

This three-day workshop is based upon Thought Forms, the 1901 book by Annie Besant and Charles Leadbeater that inspired Wassily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, Paul Klee and countless other artists. Participants will explore the ideas that pre-date and inspired abstract painting through insights into the processes of seeing and recording impressions in form and color.

Intention to Know: The Thought Forms of Annie Besant was an exhibit presented from December 29, 2015 throught March 1, 2016 at the Stony Island Arts Bank in Chicago following a run in Turkey. The display was conceived by Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev in cooperation with Theaster Gates and the Rebuild Foundation.

Intention to Know: The Thought Forms of Annie Besant presents a complete series of framed prints from the first edition of Thought Forms alongside Danish artist Lea Porsager’s gouache paintings inspired by the book. Archival material from Besant’s life and times, including an intact first edition of Thought Forms, is presented alongside work by two contemporary artists, Erin Hayden and Cauleen Smith.

Additional resources

• Lachman, Gary. “Kandinsky's Thought Forms and the Occult Roots of Modern Art.” Quest 96.2 (March-April, 2008): 57-61.