Michael StaleyThe image of Lam in my articles is the version with the fainter shadow [see right] that existed when Crowley passed the drawing to Grant, and as used in several reproductions since, such as 'The Magical Revival'.The hearts motif [see left] is simply a bolder version of the lighter shadow, and exists only on a photograph of the picture as it appears to have been in Crowley's 'Dead Souls' exhibition of 1919. Having thought a lot about this, I'm inclined to accept the possibility that the drawing had originally this heavier motif, but that Crowley soon became dissatisfied with it and made it fainter himself. In support of this theory, the reproduction in the 1919 Blue Equinox shows no crown or shadow at all, and presumably he cropped it for the purposes of reproduction. The image used in the article The LAM-Serpent Sadhanashould in my opinion be the Lam drawing in the final state as revised by Crowley. |
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