Some Useful Terms

Spiritism, theosophy, anthroposophy and Rosicrusians

Narrator: No discussion of Hilma af Klint’s work is possible without the mention of Spiritism, theosophy and anthroposophy. The movements can be described in simple terms as follows:
Spiritism is characterised by the conviction that humans can get in touch with the spirits of the dead. The spread of Modern Spiritism is largely due to the Fox sisters in the USA in 1848.

Theosophy is a teaching that is inspired by a number of religions and Spiritism. The established religions are seen as different expressions of the same truth. Theosophy teaches that the origin of everything, the divine, is housed in every being. The Theosophical Society was founded in New York in 1875 by Helena Blavatsky, amongst others.

Anthroposophy propagates a view of life based on theosophy. Rudolf Steiner was head of the German division of the Theosophical Society until he formally split from the movement in 1913 and founded anthroposophy.  The two teachings have a lot in common, but generally one could say that anthroposophy has stronger Christian elements than theosophy.

The Rosicrucians was a secret society formed in early-seventeenth-century Germany that practiced alchemy, amongst other things. Rosicrucianism still exists today.