Occult Mysticism in Western Art

Photograph of a tableau from a Catholic church in Calvario, Patzuaro, Mexico. The scene includes a male figure at the center, with two women and one man arranged behind him.
Paul Strand
Calvario, Patzcuaro
photogravure on paper
15 3/4 in x 12 3/8 in (40.01 cm x 31.43 cm)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Philip C. Davis through the Friends of the Museum of Art
This hand colored lithograph shows a chaotic scene with three, masked figures at the lower left surrounded by a variety of sea creatures: squids, octopusus, sharks and turtles. 
Ann McCoy
Underworld
hand colored lithograph on paper
42 in x 30 1/16 in (106.68 cm x 76.36 cm)
Gift of Professor and Mrs. Edward J. Mitchell
This print shows a chaotic scene with a white skeleton in the center. In the upper left, there are a series of sea creatures, including a grey colored shark, pink colored squids and two octopuses in shades of orange. At the bottom of the print, the skeleton is surrounded by a large lizard, skulls, and other figures. A moon and stars are in the upper left corner. The print is signed (l.r.) "Underground Ann McCoy" and numbered "18/100" in red pencil.
Ann McCoy
The Underworld
hand colored lithograph on paper
42 in x 30 in (106.68 cm x 76.2 cm)
Gift of Professor and Mrs. Edward J. Mitchell
A heavily inked, multi-layered multi-media image with tinges of color. On the left hand side of image, an older gentleman in turban and beard can be made out. The background is dark inks and washes, bleeding into man's figure. Bottom edge of paper carries inscriptions from Kubin (handwriting matches other samples).
Alfred Kubin
Black Magic / Continuation of Mynona's Gray Magic (Schwarze Magie / Fortsetzung von Mynonas grauer Magie)
pen + ink and watercolor and gouache on wove paper
12 in. x 7 1/2 in. ( 30.48 cm x 19.05 cm )
Gift of the Ernst Pulgram and Frances McSparran Collection
Bust of a figure from the chest up in three-quarters pose. The head, or perhaps a mask, is white, resembling a skull with a halo of white hair. The neck is dark brown with two white bands like chokers around it, perhaps securing the mask. The figure wears a dark red garment that is trimmed in ornate lace in white and gold. The background is a deep teal green-blue.
Guillermo Meza
Ah Puch
oil on canvas
45 3/8 in x 33 7/16 in (115.2 cm x 85 cm);46 1/4 in x 34 1/2 in x 1 in (117.48 cm x 87.63 cm x 2.54 cm)
Museum Purchase
At the center of the print a large dark figure sits in a shadow. He is holding a stick that has four small red, horned figures attached to the top. The print is located and signed in the plate (c.l.) "mèxico / 1950 / Isidoro" and editioned in pencil (l.l.) "7/25" and signed and dated in pencil (l.r.) "Isidoro Ocampo/56.".
Isidoro Ocampo
Seller of Judas Effigies
etching and aquatint on paper
12 in x 8 in (30.5 cm x 20.3 cm);18 13/16 in x 12 5/16 in (47.8 cm x 31.3 cm);22 1/16 in x 18 in (56 cm x 45.8 cm)
Museum Purchase
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes
The spruce themselves up (Se repulen)
etching, burnished aquatint and burin on paper
12 in x 8 in (30.48 cm x 20.32 cm);7 3/4 in x 5 in (19.68 cm x 12.7 cm);8 1/4 in x 5 13/16 in (20.96 cm x 14.76 cm)
Gift of Kurt Delbanco in honor of Nicholas Delbanco, and partial purchase with the funds from the W. Hawkins Ferry Fund
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes
You will not escape
etching and burnished aquatint on paper
12 in x 8 in (30.48 cm x 20.32 cm);8 1/8 in x 5 5/16 in (20.64 cm x 13.49 cm);8 3/8 in x 5 13/16 in (21.27 cm x 14.76 cm)
Gift of Kurt Delbanco in honor of Nicholas Delbanco, and partial purchase with the funds from the W. Hawkins Ferry Fund
A stark black background with red figures. One is standing with a large pole in hand, appearing to be in motion. The four other figures are all hunched on the ground.
Gordon Newton
Untitled (Red Devil)
oil stick on paper
30 1/2 in x 36 in x 1 1/2 in (77.47 cm x 91.44 cm x 3.81 cm)
Gift of H. David Zucca
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes
Be quick, they are waking up. (Despacha que dispiértan)
etching and burnished aquatint on paper
12 in x 8 in (30.48 cm x 20.32 cm);8 1/8 in x 5 15/16 in (20.64 cm x 15.08 cm);8 7/16 in x 5 15/16 in (21.43 cm x 15.08 cm)
Gift of Kurt Delbanco in honor of Nicholas Delbanco, and partial purchase with the funds from the W. Hawkins Ferry Fund
This print shows a skeleton riding on the back of a white horse with three figures in robes standing in the background, one of which appears to be fleeing in the opposite direction. A naked child reaches up for one of the figures.
Héctor Xavier
Death Appearing on Horseback
lithograph on paper
19 7/8 in x 13 in (50.48 cm x 33.02 cm);28 in x 22 in (71.12 cm x 55.88 cm);25 5/8 in x 19 3/4 in (65.09 cm x 50.17 cm)
Museum Purchase
Thom O'Connor
Bierce and the Witch
lithograph on paper
13 9/16 in x 26 ¼ in (34.45 cm x 66.68 cm);9 in x 21 ¾ in (22.86 cm x 55.25 cm);13 9/16 in x 26 ¼ in (34.45 cm x 66.68 cm)
Gift of the Marvin Felheim Collection

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Comparative — by seth@whirl-i-gig.com (February 13 2017 @ 12:47 pm)
European-american culture — by seth@whirl-i-gig.com (February 13 2017 @ 12:47 pm)
Fantasy — by seth@whirl-i-gig.com (February 13 2017 @ 12:47 pm)
Mysticism — by seth@whirl-i-gig.com (February 13 2017 @ 12:47 pm)
Occult — by seth@whirl-i-gig.com (February 13 2017 @ 12:47 pm)
Supernatural — by seth@whirl-i-gig.com (February 13 2017 @ 12:47 pm)
Western culture — by seth@whirl-i-gig.com (February 13 2017 @ 12:47 pm)

Part of 4 Learning Collections

American Orientalist art at the turn of the 20th century
<p>America Encounters Asia in Art</p>

110 Collection Object Sources

Calvario, Patzcuaro (1971/2.126.12)
Underworld (1981/2.177)
The Underworld (1981/2.176)
Ah Puch (1958/1.102)
You will not escape (2008/1.152.72)
Beasts at Night (1964/2.28)
Bathing Girls (2000/2.167)
Kopf (1953/2.3)
Täuflinge (1968/2.12)
The Archer (1954/1.152)
Umgeben (1961/2.43)
Landscape (1968/1.81)
Automne (1952/2.4)
Prophet Writing (1950/1.161)
Dancers (1987/1.264)
Ancient Temple (1952/2.9)
The Operation (1965/2.16)
Melencolia I (1959/2.90)
Death as Friend (1960/2.155)
The Last Judgment (2007/2.131)
Tierlegende (1962/2.24)
The Resurrection (1983/2.249)
The Golden Age (1961/2.40)
St. Demetrius (1976/2.78)
St. Theresa (2013/2.313)
Lenox Avenue (1943.63)
Untitled (1996/1.70)
From Proun (1969/2.57)
Ebola and Christ (2016/2.163)

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Last Updated

February 7, 2020 2:39 p.m.

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