Wikimedia Commons · Public domain · Hover to magnify, click for fullscreen
Original file
About This Work
The image features a central, light-blue, symmetrical shape resembling a flower or flame with several overlapping petals that taper to points. It is suspended in a deep, dark, textured void that suggests an ethereal or non-physical plane. The lines are soft, and the overall composition is minimalist, intended to represent a visual manifestation of a specific emotional state.
This image is a plate from the 1901 book 'Thought-Forms', in which Theosophists Annie Besant and C.W. Leadbeater attempted to visually catalog the colors and shapes produced in the 'astral plane' by human thoughts and emotions. This specific form represents the vibration of 'sympathy,' illustrating the Theosophical belief that mental and emotional activity creates observable, luminous manifestations.
Inscriptions
16
Connected Texts
Annie Besant & C.W. Leadbeater, 'Thought-Forms'
This image serves as a direct visual illustration of the theory of astral manifestations of emotion discussed in this foundational Theosophical text.
Provenance & Source
Object
lithography
paper
Symbolist
British
allegory
Digital Source
Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
480 × 621 px
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3.1-flash-lite-preview on April 20, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.