A Near Forgotten Influencer of The Occult - The Biography of Austin Osman Spare

 

Before I discontinued my podcast, I recorded an episode on one of my favorite surrealists, Austin Osman Spare. I have transformed my original write-up to fit a blog format because, quite frankly, it was my favorite episode and the one I was most proud of. Here is the story of a nearly forgotten artist and visionary:

Austin Osman Spare was a brilliant artist and visionary whose contributions to occultism have paved the way for many aspects of modern magical practice. His work on sigils, in particular, transcends time, still resonating in various interpretations today. 

The Beginning

Born as the fourth child to Philip Spare and Eliza Osmond on December 30, 1886, Austin entered a world that would soon witness his extraordinary influence. His father, Philip Newton Spare, hailed from New Yorkshire, born in 1857, and eventually moved to London, where he found employment with the City of London Police in 1878, stationed at the Snow Hill Police Station.Eliza Osmond, Austin's mother, was the daughter of a Royal Marine, and she married Philip at St. Bride's Church in Fleet Street in December of 1879. Together, they led a modest life with their four children: John, William, Susan, and Austin. Austin's childhood was marked by a blend of ordinary and extraordinary experiences. Coming from a working-class background, one might assume his opportunities would be limited, yet this was not the case. His father, being a policeman, ensured the family was neither destitute nor affluent, but comfortably settled within the middle class. This stable environment allowed Austin's talent to flourish.

His parents' support and the opportunities available to him were remarkable for a boy of his background. He attended the school attached to the Catholic Church of St. Agnes, where his artistic inclinations were first nurtured—a testament to his talent and the supportive atmosphere of his upbringing. He further honed his skills through evening classes at the Lambeth School of Art, immersing himself in the vibrant artistic culture of the time. Austin's journey into the world of art didn't stop there. He began an apprenticeship at Whitefriars Glass and later at Causton's Printers. These experiences enriched his understanding of both traditional and commercial art forms.

Austin's artistic influences were as diverse as they were profound. He drew inspiration from the Symbolism movement and the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, among others, each leaving a unique imprint on his evolving art style. His experimentation with automatic drawing predated the Surrealists, showcasing his pioneering spirit and willingness to venture into uncharted territories of creativity. While these might not seem like typical interests for a young boy, Austin was anything but ordinary.

A Phenomenal Teenager

By the age of 17, Austin had already begun to make his mark on the world of occult history. His youthful curiosity and artistic prowess intertwined to create a unique approach to both magic and mysticism, setting the stage for a lifetime of exploration and contributions to esoteric arts. His journey into the world of art and the occult began at an impressively young age. By the time he was only 13, he had already started to make his mark. In 1900, he became a designer at Powell's Glassworking Business, a company with connections to the arts and crafts movement and the renowned William Morris.

His evenings were spent honing his craft at the Lambeth School of Art, where his talent caught the eye of Sir William Blake, who recommended him for a scholarship to the Royal College of Art. This recognition proved to be a pivotal moment in Spare's early career, as his work gained further attention when his drawings were exhibited in the British Arts section of the St. Louis Exposition and the Paris International Exposition. At just 16, he won a silver medal at the National Competition of School of Arts, where judges like Walter Crane and Bayam Shaw lauded his remarkable sense of color and great vigor of conception.

But despite these accolades, Spare's experience at the RCA was not without its challenges. A strong-minded and independent youth, he found himself at odds with the institution's teaching methods, which led to truancy and disciplinary issues. His artistic style, influenced by figures such as Charles Ricketts, Edmund Sullivan, George Frederick Watts, and Aubrey Beardsley, focused on clear lines—a stark contrast to the college's emphasis on shading. Spare's art often courted controversy, featuring nudes of various body types and intimate depictions of women, reflecting his avant-garde approach.

Living at home with his parents, Spare began to express himself through unconventional and flamboyant clothing, which only endeared him further to his peers at the college. Among them was Sylvia Pankhurst, a prominent leftist activist, with whom he became very good friends. The roots of Austin's interest in occult practices are somewhat obscured by time, but by 16, he was deeply immersed in esoteric ideas, writing his own theories and creating works that reflected his mystical leanings.

In May of 1904, Austin held his first public art exhibition at the Newington Public Library on Walworth Road. His paintings at this exhibition explored themes that would resonate throughout his life. His father played a pivotal role in advancing his son's career by secretly submitting two of his drawings to the Royal Academy. One of these, a design for a bookplate, was accepted for exhibition at the prestigious Summer Exhibition. The British press took notice, highlighting Austin as the youngest artist in the exhibition at only 17 years old.

Early Adulthood and Occult Interests 

In 1905, Austin published his first piece, "Earth Inferno," a personal favorite of mine. It garnered a mix of reactions from critics, showcasing a unique vision that blended surreal imagery with profound themes of existence and the human condition. Some critics praised his innovative approach to art and literature, noting how his work challenged conventional boundaries and offered a fresh perspective on the interplay between reality and the supernatural. Others, however, found his style perplexing, struggling to grasp the depth of his metaphysical explorations. Unfortunately, most copies of this work were lost during a blitz in World War II, which we will get to later.

Despite his early success, his time at the college was short-lived. By 1905, he had left the institution without obtaining any formal degree or qualifications—a testament to his nonconformist nature and determination to forge his own path. In October of 1907, Austin held his first major exhibition, titled simply "Black and White Drawings by Austin O. Spare," at the Bruton Gallery in London's West End. The exhibition drew significant attention and stirred sensational reactions in the press, with his work being widely compared to that of Aubrey Beardsley.  Reviewers were captivated by what they perceived as the eccentric and grotesque qualities of his art, with critics using terms like "stupendous" and "terrifying"—"impossible horrors."

It was around this time that he caught the attention of Aleister Crowley, the infamous occultist who had established the religion of Thelema in 1904. Crowley, intrigued by Austin's artistry, introduced himself and became a financial supporter of Spare's work. At one point, he claimed that Austin's work was actually messages from the divine. Austin contributed several drawings to Crowley's Thelemite journal, "The Equinox," and was compensated with an expensive ritual robe.

However, things took a downturn when Aleister Crowley invited Spare to join his newly formed Thelemite Magical Order, founded in 1907. Spare joined as the seventh member in July, befriending Victor Neuburg, an influential occultist. However, Spare eventually grew disillusioned with the Order and never fully committed to its ranks due to his distaste for Crowley's strict approach and his critical view of ceremonial magic. In response, Aleister Crowley later claimed that Austin O. Spare had too much interest in black magic, which is why he was never allowed to fully join the Order.

During this time, Austin was financially supported mostly by the wealthy property developer Pickford Waller, alongside other admirers such as Desmond Coke and Charles Ricketts. His art found favor among the avant-garde homosexual circles of Edwardian London, with several prominent gay men supporting his work. Spare developed a close friendship with the couple Marc-André Raffalovich and John Gray, later praising Gray as "the most wonderful man I have ever met." Through John, Austin was introduced to the Irish novelist George Moore, leading to another significant friendship.Before Austin was 21 years old, he had achieved a level of respect and popularity that many at his age could only dream of. 

A Controversial and Captivating Young Man

Austin's sexuality was often the topic of whispers and gossip, with no one really sure about his preferences. His friend Frank Brangwyn later suggested that Austin was strongly homosexual but had suppressed those inclinations. However, Austin himself recounted a plethora of heterosexual encounters during this period, including alleged relationships with an intersex person, a dwarf with a prominent forehead, and a Welsh maid. These personal complexities add another layer to the enigmatic life of Austin, reflecting the diverse and often contradictory facets of his character and experiences.

Around 1910, Austin's artistic journey continued with his illustrations for "The Starlit Mire," further showcasing his fascination with abnormal and grotesque themes. During this period, he also produced a notable piece known as "A Fantasy," which featured a self-portrait surrounded by horned animals and a horned hermaphrodite creature. This work visually communicated his belief in the mental connection between humanity and non-human ancestors.

Shortly after, Austin entered into a brief marriage with Ellie Gertrude Shaw, a woman he met in a pub. Initially enamored with her, Austin soon realized that Ellie did not share his intellectual pursuits, disliked all of his friends, and was overly concerned with money and material things. Although their romantic relationship faded, they remained married on paper for a few years.

In 1913, Austin published "The Book of Pleasure," a work that delved into his mystical ideas on the human unconscious, magic, and sigils, drawing inspiration from Taoism, Buddhism, and his own artistic experiences. Despite its innovative content, the book sold poorly and received mixed reviews, with the Times Literary Supplement acknowledging Spare's technical mastery yet critiquing much of the content.

By 1914, Austin was contributing to a new art magazine called "Color" and soon envisioned founding his own magazine. He collaborated with publisher John Lane and etcher Frederick Carter to create "Form," which launched in the summer of 1916. The magazine featured contributions from notable figures like Walter de la Mare and Frank Brangwyn and included an article on automatic writing, a theme that Austin had explored in "The Book of Pleasure." However, the magazine was poorly received, and George Bernard Shaw dismissed it as outdated.

In 1917, Austin was drafted into the military during World War I, serving as a medical orderly and later as an acting staff sergeant. During this time, his wife Ellie left him for another man, freeing him from the burden of marriage. After leaving the military in 1919, he focused on writing and illustrating a new book, "The Focus of Life: The Mutterings of Eos," published in 1921. This work continued to explore his mythical themes and was well received, prompting Austin to revive his magazine, "Form," with a new format and contributors like Robert Graves and Edith Sitwell. However, the magazine was discontinued again after only three issues.

He then co-edited another art journal, "The Golden Hind," with Clifford Bax, which debuted in October 1922 but failed by 1924. During this time, Austin experimented with anamorphic portraits, exhibited at the Godfrey Phillips Galleries in 1930. His work began to attract attention again with the rise of Surrealism, and a 1936 article dubbed him the Father of Surrealism. Excited about the renewed interest in him and his work, Austin started the Austin Spare School of Draughtsmanship.

Maturing into Infamy 

During World War II, Austin, an ardent anti-Nazi, attempted to enlist in the army but was too old, even for the desperate forces of the time. Later, a bomb destroyed his apartment and all his artwork, leaving him homeless for a time. Despite this, he showed resilience and his creativity continued to define his life's work. In post-war years, Austin's fascination with witchcraft grew, possibly influenced by his friendship with ceremonial magician Kenneth Grant. He started to create artwork using terms like "witchery," claiming to have encountered witches on a bus. His first pub show at the Temple Bar in 1949 was a success, earning him recognition and new commissions, including illustrations for the London Mystery Magazine, thanks to his renewed interest in the occult and spell work, particularly witchcraft.

Throughout his life, Austin remained a vibrant and influential figure, constantly evolving in his art and philosophy. His exploration of the conscious and unconscious mind captivated audiences. Spare believed that the conscious mind, rather than being helpful, often erected barriers between individuals and their deepest desires. His magical philosophy was intimately tied to the concept of psychological repression. He believed that repressed desires and fears could exert profound influence over an individual's conscious personality, shaping their reality in unexpected ways. He also believed that by intentionally repressing certain desires, they could gain power, ultimately becoming more potent than those acknowledged by the conscious mind. For Austin, embedding a magical intent within the subconscious was key to unlocking its power.

Interestingly, while Austin's ideas were very similar to Jungian psychology—where we get concepts like shadow work—he was notably critical of psychoanalysts like Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, dismissively calling them frauds and junk, not realizing at the time how similar their ideas actually were.

A Nearly Forgotten Legend

In May of 1956, Austin faced a serious health crisis when his appendix ruptured, leading to his admission at the Southwestern Hospital in Stockwell, London. Compounding this were anemia, gallstones, hypertension, and bronchitis. Unfortunately, on May 15, 1956, at the age of 69, he passed away. He was later buried beside his father at St. Mary's Church in Ilford, London.

His obituary read as follows: 

Thereafter, Spare was rarely found in the pearliest of Bond Street. He would teach a little from January to June, then up to the end of October, would finish various works, and from the beginning of November to Christmas would hang his products in the living room, bedroom, and kitchen of his flat in the borough. There he kept an open house. Critics and purchasers would go down, ring the bell, be admitted, and inspect the pictures, often in the company of some of the models. Spare was convinced that there was a great potential demand for pictures at two or three guineas each, and he condemned the practice of asking twenty pounds for amateurish stuff. He worked chiefly in pastel or pencil, drawing rapidly, often taking no more than two hours over a picture. He was especially interested in delineating the old and had various models over 70, and one as old as 93.

Austin Osman Spare's desire to challenge societal norms and his unique vision left an indelible mark on the world of art and esoteric thought.

Thank you so much for reading. Please consider subscribing to my blog for more deep dives into occultism, witchcraft, and mysticism. 

Be Blessed

Dena

You can find many of his books on Amazon

Earth Inferno and A Book Of Satyrs: https://amzn.to/3QmQmHv

The Book of Pleasures: https://amzn.to/3QrLVLi

The Focus of Life:https://amzn.to/4146uCG