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The Image of
Nebuchadnezzar (1968)
(Het beeld van Nebucadnezar)
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The Game in the Sun House:
Lion and Griffin (1968)
(Het spel in het zonnehuis:
de leeuw en de griffioen)
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Two admirable examples of Johfra’s illustration work may be seen in his plates to The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosencreutz - The Game in the Sun House: Lion and Griffin and The Image of Nebuchadnezzar (1968). Rendered in pen and ink, the linework is very assured; the gradations of light and shadow through stipling and hatching is very accomplished. But, more than that, Johfra’s studies with the Rosicrucians have given him a complete grasp of symbolism: alchemical, ancient, bibilical and cabbalist systems of thought and imagery all intermix in these works. The Orphic/Mithraic figure on the right, encircled seven times by the serpent, will soon become the focus of his next major work.
In 1972, Johfra executed a large painting called The Vision of Hermes Trismegistos (which also exists in a second, more colourful version from 1985). Like all the Hermetic paintings, a powerful feeling of revelation pervades. The strong symmetry and central figure invite us to still our wandering eye and focus it onto a more contemplative symbol.
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THE VISION OF HERMES TRISMEGISTOS (1972)
(Het Visioen van Hermes Trismegistos)
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(Click on any image to enlarge.)
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