Portrait of the Yogi of Tiruvalla: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Portrait of a Yogi.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Portrait of an Indian Yogi]]
#redirect [[Portrait of the Yogi Tiravalla]]
The '''Portrait of the Yogi of Tiruvalla''' is a painting [[phenomena]]lly produced by [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|H. P. Blavatsky]] for [[Henry Steel Olcott|Col. Olcott]] and [[William Quan Judge|Mr. Judge]] in New York, in December 1877. The image [[Precipitation|precipitated]] on a piece of note-paper portrays a [[Yoga|yogi]] absorbed in [[Meditation#Samādhi|samādhi]].
This piece of artwork was highly regarded by artists as well as by the [[Masters of Wisdom|Masters]].
 
== Production ==
 
In his book [[The Occult World (book)|''The Occult World '']], [[Alfred Percy Sinnett|Mr. Sinnett]] described the production of the portrait of "an Indian fakir" as follows:
 
<blockquote>[[Henry Steel Olcott|Colonel Olcott]] told me he took home a piece of note-paper from a club in New York- a piece bearing a club stamp -and gave this to [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|Madame Blavatsky]]. She put it between the sheets of blotting-paper on her writing-table, rubbed her hand over the outside of the pad, and then in a few moments the marked paper was given back to him with a complete picture upon it representing an Indian fakir in a state of [[Meditation#Samādhi|samadhi]]. And the artistic execution of this drawing was conceived by artists to whom Colonel Olcott afterwards showed it to be so good that they compared it to the works of old masters whom they specially adored and affirmed that as an artistic curiosity it was unique and priceless.<ref>Alfred Percy Sinnett, ''The Occult World'' (London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1969), ??.</ref></blockquote>
 
Some years later Col. Olcott commented on Mr. Sinnett's description, and added some more details about this:
 
<blockquote>At the close of the dinner we had drifted into talk about precipitations, and [[William Quan Judge|Judge]] asked H. P. B. if she would not make somebody’s portrait for us. As we were moving towards the writing-room, she asked him whose portrait he wished made, and he chose that of this particular yogi, whom we knew by name as one held in great respect by the [[Masters of Wisdom|Masters]]. She crossed to my table, took a sheet of my crested club-paper, tore it in halves, kept the half which had no imprint, and laid it down on her own blotting-paper. She then scraped perhaps a grain of the plumbago of a Faber lead pencil on it, and then rubbed the surface for a minute or so with a circular motion of the palm of her right hand; after which she handed us the result. On the paper had come the desired portrait and, setting wholly aside the question of its [[phenomena]]l character, it is an artistic production of power and genius. Le Clear, the Noted American portrait painter, declared it unique, distinctly an “individual” in the technical sense; one that no living artist within his knowledge could have produced.<ref>Henry Steel Olcott, ''Old Diary Leaves'' First Series (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), 367-368.</ref></blockquote>
 
In regards to the artist's assesment of the artwork, an article published in ''The Bombay Gazette'' (March 31st, 1879, p.3) states:
 
<blockquote>Thomas LeClear, an eminent American painter, and William R. O'Donovan, an equally distinguished sculptor, affirmed in a London journal, that no living artist could, in their opinion, equal it in vigour, breadth, and uniqueness, while they were both unable to decide upon the nature of the colouring substance employed in the manner of its application.<ref>See [Theosophic Thaumaturgy---A Startling Story] at The Blavatsky Archives.</ref></blockquote>
 
Mme. Blavatsky explained some aspects of the mechanics of [[precipitation]]. Col. Olcott writes:
 
<blockquote>In connection with her New York precipitations of the Yogi's and M. A. Oxon's portraits, the writing of the latter, and other phenomena; she explained that inasmuch as the images of all objects and incidents are stored in the [[Astral Light]], it did not require that she should have seen the person or known the writing, the image of which she wished to precipitate; she had only to be put on the trace and could find and see them for herself and then objectivate them.<ref>Henry Steel Olcott, ''Old Diary Leaves'' Second Series (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), 366.</ref></blockquote>
 
The process of precipitating a portrait does not seem to be as "mechanical" as it may sound in Mme. Blavatsky's explanation. It evidently requires artistic skill, along with the occult ability. In [[Mahatma Letter No. 92#Page 17|one of his letters]] to Mr. Sinnett, [[Koot Hoomi|Master K.H.]] praised Mme. Blavatsky's work as follows:
 
<blockquote>She can and did produce phenomena, owing to her natural [[Siddhis|powers]] combined with several long years of regular training and her phenomena are sometimes better, more wonderful and far more perfect than those of some high, [[Initiation|initiated]] [[chela]]s, whom she surpasses in artistic taste and purely Western appreciation of art — as for instance in the instantaneous production of pictures: witness — her portrait of the "fakir" Tiravalla mentioned in Hints, and compared with my portrait by [[Djual Khool|Gjual Khool]]. Notwithstanding all the superiority of his powers, as compared to hers; his youth as contrasted with her old age; and the undeniable and important advantage he possesses of having never brought his pure unalloyed magnetism in direct contact with the great impurity of your world and society — yet do what he may, he will never be able to produce such a picture, simply because he is unable to conceive it in his mind and Tibetan thought.<ref>Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., ''The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence'' No. 92 (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), ???.</ref></blockquote>
 
== Description ==
 
<blockquote>The yogi is depicted in [[Meditation#Samādhi|Samâdhi]], the head drawn partly aside, the eyes profoundly introspective and dead to external things, the body seemingly that of an absent tenant. There is a beard and hair of moderate length, the latter drawn with such skill that one sees through the upstanding locks, as it were—an effect obtained in good photographs, but hard to imitate with pencil or crayon. The portrait is in a medium not easy to distinguish: it might be black crayon, without stumping, or black lead; but there is neither dust nor gloss on the surface to indicate which, nor any marks of the stump or the point used: hold the paper horizontally towards the light and you might fancy the pigment was below the surface, combined with the fibres.<ref>Henry Steel Olcott, ''Old Diary Leaves'' First Series (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), 368.</ref></blockquote>
 
At the bottom of the painting there is an inscription that says “Ghostland or Land of the Living Brotherhood of T—Which?”
 
The beard in the painting was damaged by an Indian member who tried to test the quality of the artwork using an eraser. In recalling this event Col. Olcott wrote:
 
<blockquote>This incomparable picture was subjected in India later to the outrage of being rubbed with India—rubber to satisfy the curiosity of one of our Indian members, who had borrowed it as a special favour “to show his mother”, and who wished to see if the pigment was really on or under the surface! The effect of his vandal-like experiment is now seen in the obliteration of a part of the beard, and my sorrow over the disaster is not in the least mitigated by the knowledge that it was not due to malice but to ignorance and the spirit of childish curiosity.<ref>Henry Steel Olcott, ''Old Diary Leaves'' First Series (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), 368-369.</ref></blockquote>
 
== Subject ==
 
<blockquote>The yogi’s name was always pronounced by H. P.B. “Tiravâlâ”, but since coming to live in Madras Presidency, I can very well imagine that she meant Tiruvalluvar, and that the portrait, now hanging in the Picture Annex of the Adyar Library, is really that of the revered philosopher of ancient Mylapur, the friend and teacher of the poor Pariahs. As to the question whether he is still in the body or not I can venture no assertion, but from what H. P. B. used to say about him I always inferred that he was. And yet to all save Hindus that would seem incredible, since he is said to have written his immortal “Kural” something like a thousand years ago! He is classed in Southern India as one of the Siddhas, and like the other seventeen, is said to be still living in the Tirupati and Nilgiri Hills; keeping watch and ward over the Hindu religion. Themselves unseen, these Great Souls help, by their potent will-power, its friends and promoters and all lovers of mankind. May their benediction be with us!<br>
In recalling the incident for the present narrative, I note the fact that no aura or spiritual glow is depicted around the yogi’s head, although H. P. B.’s account of him confirms that of his Indian admirers, that he was a person of the highest spirituality of aspiration and purest character.<ref>Henry Steel Olcott, ''Old Diary Leaves'' First Series (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), 369-370.</ref></blockquote>
 
== Disappearance and reappearance ==
 
Just before they left for India, the portrait disappeared from its frame in Col. Olcott's bedroom. On [[August 23]], 1879, while Blavatsky, Olcott, and [[Damodar K. Mavalankar|Damodar]] were conversing in the office at Bombay, the portrait fell through the air on the desk at which Col. Olcott sat.<ref>Henry Steel Olcott, ''Old Diary Leaves'' Second Series (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1974), 214.</ref></blockquote>
 
== Notes ==
<references/>
 
[[Category:Phenomena]]
[[Category:Art works]]

Latest revision as of 19:24, 5 July 2013

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