LE ROSSIGNOL, Ethel.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

A Goodly Company. Scarce first edition of the psychedelic spirit paintings and writings of the Argentinian-born medium and automatist Constance "Ethel" Le Rossignol (1873-1970). During the 1920s and early 1930s, Le Rossignol painted a series of 44 psychic works - the "Goodly Company" series - which she believed were the true work of the spirit "J.P.F.", a recently deceased friend, whom she channelled.The series offered "remarkably consistent, kaleidoscopic visions of the spirit world in the 1920s", depicting in vivid detail "a radiant, ecstatic realm populated by flying human sylphs, base demons and bejewelled animals" (Pilkington). Le Rossignol claimed this visionary world was one which "the spirit of JPF revealed to her gradually through a transmission of thought, energy, and movement. The sinuous lines of colour in Ethel's paintings are expressions of these waves" (College of Psychic Studies). Inviting comparison with the work of other acclaimed spiritualist artists such as Georgiana Houghton (1814-1884) and Hilma af Klint (1862-1944), her art is clearly in step with both abstract and surrealist art developments in the period.Le Rossignol's spirit art was exhibited in 1929 by the London Spiritual Alliance; the show, initially planned for ten days, was extended for three months. Le Rossignol self-published this large-format volume to explain her symbolism, pairing explanatory text with fantastical illustrations, seven of which are rendered in their intensely vivid original

Found via Rare Books Intel, a search across rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide.