The Grail Triptych (1909-1913)

This unique painting was commissioned by Dr. Rudolf Steiner in the early 20th century to an artist connected with Anthroposophy at that time named Anna May von Rychter. It was completed in 1912. Upon completion, Dr. Steiner intended that the painting be displayed at the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland. Unfortunately, the painting was destroyed during the aerial bombings of Hamburg, Germany in World War 2. 

However, a person named Marguerita Hauschka had taken a very small color photograph of the painting after it was finished and later made it available to the public as a larger poster in 1975. The photograph was so small that when it was enlarged, some of the details in the image were distorted. The images here are modified and enhanced by me (in terms of contrast, color, and brightness, only) to bring more clarity to the picture.

 
This painting portrays three key events that occurred before, and after, the Event of Golgotha. Throughout the painting are images, symbols, and motifs of key spiritual events and turning points in the history of humanity that have been overseen and influenced by spiritual leaders that were elaborated upon through Dr. Steiner's books, articles, and lectures. This painting portrays personalities and events of global and cosmic significance that elucidate the mystery of the Holy Grail. The sequence of events moves from left to right.

 
Represented in this painting supporting the Christ mission is a leading spiritual figure who incarnated as Lazarus and later was known by John (author of the Gospel of John and Book of Revelation). This great initiate was the man "whom Christ loved." (John 13:23) who was resurrected from the dead; he was also the first individual initiated by Christ. This leader is sometimes referred to in Anthroposophy as Lazarus-John and was later known as Christian Rosenkreutz who lived in the medieval period. The central aspect of the work is the Event on Golgotha; the turning point of human evolution that changed the world forever through a sacrificial deed of cosmic significance.

 
Throughout the painting are images of Angels, Archangels, Archai, and initiates whose lives and missions are revealed throughout Dr. Rudolf Steiner's works including Lazarus-John who was present at the Crucifixion of Christ-Jesus and is portrayed at the foot of the cross. Guatma Buddha is also portrayed as he plays a vital role in the ongoing mission of the Christ and humanity. 

 
On the left is a portrayal of the Temple Mystery of Solomon, King Hiram, and Queen of Sheba. Also included are symbols associated with key movements in the zodiac which are perfectly aligned with important turning points, in both historical and spiritual terms, that have occurred throughout human history.

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"Hiram is the representative of the initiates among the Sons of Cain belonging to the fourth and fifth epochs. The Queen of Sheba is the soul of humanity — every female character denotes the soul in esoteric terminology. She has to choose between the detached piety which does not concern itself with worldly conquest, and the masterful wisdom which is achieved through the overcoming of earthly passions and desires. She is the representative of the true human soul, taking her position between Hiram and Solomon and uniting herself with Hiram in the fourth and fifth epochs, because he is still engaged in building the Temple." -Steiner, Rudolf.The Temple Legend, GA 93, Part I, 5. The Mystery known to Rosicrucians, 4 November 1904, Berlin https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA093/English/RSP1985/19041104p01.html

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This Event of Golgotha occurred at the exact midpoint of human history according to Dr. Steiner and Anthroposophy and was the central historical event and the turning point in human spiritual evolution. The seven aspects of the human being, which correspond to seven universal and divine influences, are symbolized in this painting by the seven wounds of the purified blood of the Christ, which permeated the Earth. The purification and shedding of the blood is a central theme of the Holy Grail. Upon shedding His blood for the world, the Christ became a part of it, and humanity, forever.

The shedding of the Christ's blood was accompanied by a global spiritual impulse that only He brought into the world. Upon doing so, humanity and the world was forever transformed in a living way. One aspect of the Mystery of Golgotha is the revivification of the human being's "Etheric" aspect (the "Energy" sheath), which enabled each human being to achieve our proper path of evolution. 

This revivification, according to Anthroposophy, is symbolized by the five-pointed star which correlates to the Etheric, or Energy, Body of the human being which is visible in the painting above the Cross. It is also the symbol of the Christmas Star; the Star of Bethlehem. The Rosicrucian symbol of the rose cross, which Christian Rosenkreutz introduced, contains seven red roses on the black wood of a cross which represents, at least in part, the transformed seven aspects, or centers, of the human being having been purified out of our lower nature.

Left: This, to me, is more of a theme, and mystery, than one event. It portrays the Mystery of King Solomon, the Queen of Sheba, and Hiram the Temple Builder also referred to as The Temple Legend. -Refer to Steiner, Rudolf. The Temple Legend: https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA093/English/RSP1985/TmpLeg_index.html

Center: The Christ Mystery. The Christ shedding his blood for humanity on Golgotha in 33AD as the turning point in time. Here, His blood becomes one with the earth as He bonded himself with humanity and the world. He is the Representative and Redeemer of Humanity. Within this section are images of those who were present at the Crucifixion including Joseph of Arimathea, the Mother of Jesus, and Lazarus-John. 

The five-pointed star is associated with the energy body, or "Etheric Body", of the human being which is also symbolized by the Christmas Star; the Star of Bethlehem. Dr. Steiner observed that the sacrifice of Christ permanently transformed humanity and set our destiny aright again, thus enabling each human being to achieve our evolution properly; a path which had become thwarted by the opposing powers over time. According to Dr. Steiner and Anthroposophy, had this event not occurred humanity would have been held back, as it were, once we reached the end of our evolutionary far in the future. It was an event of cosmic, and global, significance that occurred only once, and shall occur only once, during human evolution.

The blood from the 5 wounds of our Savior aligns with the 5 points of the Etheric Body of the human being and the world, permeating the depths of the Earth. Correlations to the number 7, which are also found in the painting, represent the seven universal influences that manifest throughout the human being, the world, and the cosmos including 7 spiritual planets (Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn), 7 Archangels, the 7 days of the week, 7 vowels, 7 deadly sins, etc.

Right: The Mystery of Christian Rosenkreutz who was the founder of the genuine Rosicrucian stream. Here, an event of global significance is portrayed with the spiritual initiation of C.R. that occurred in the 13th century (1250AD as revealed by Dr. Steiner) somewhere in Europe. Here, C.R. is surrounded by 12 great initiates, or leaders, of humanity who gave a part of themselves, in spiritual terms, to undertake a new and vital spiritual mission in the modern era. 

 
Also present is Joan of Arc holding her banner,as a guardian of this event. Her martyrdom is connected to C.R.'s task and, in spiritual terms, she supported his mission during a crisis that emerged in the 15th century between France and England during the 100 Years War. The spiritual significance of Joan of Arc's mission and her death are discussed in various lectures by Dr. Rudolf Steiner. 

- Rudolf Steiner, The Destiny of Individuals and of Nations, GA 157, Lectures 4 and 5. 

Lecture 4: https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA157/English/RSP1987/19150119p01.html 

Lecture 5: https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA157/English/RSP1987/19150117p01.html. A

- Rudolf Steiner, From Symptom to Reality in Modern History, GA 185, Lecture I https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA185/English/RSP1976/19181018p01.html

- Joan of Arc In Light of Anthroposophy and Spiritual Science is available as a free download on this website and on Amazon by the author. 

 Selected References:

(1) Steiner, Rudolf. The Mission of Christian Rosenkreutz, https://wn.rsarchive.org/Lectures/ChRose_index.html

(2) Steiner, Rudolf. Esoteric Christianity and The Mission of Christian Rosenkreutz, https://wn.rsarchive.org/Lectures/EsoChr_index.html 

(3) Steiner, Rudolf. The Mission of Christian Rosenkreutz its Character and Purpose, The Mission of Gautama Buddha on Mars, https://wn.rsarchive.org/Lectures/19121218p02.html

(4) Biography of Anna May von Rychter, Artist of the Grail Triptych, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_May-Rychter

(5) Steiner, Rudolf. The Temple Legend, https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA093/English/RSP1985/TmpLeg_index.html

(6) Rudolf Steiner, The Destiny of Individuals and of Nations, GA 157, Lectures 4 and 5. 

Lecture 4: https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA157/English/RSP1987/19150119p01.html 

Lecture 5: https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA157/English/RSP1987/19150117p01.html. 

(7) Rudolf Steiner, From Symptom to Reality in Modern History, GA 185, Lecture I, https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA185/English/RSP1976/19181018p01.html

(8) Anderson, Adrian, Rudolf Steiner's Esoteric Christianity in the Grail painting by Anna May: Contemplating the sacred in Rosicrucian Christianity, Available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Rudolf-Steiners-Esoteric-Christianity-painting/dp/0994160275

(9) Hauschka, Margarethe, The Grail Triptych, https://www.scribd.com/document/481806698/The-Grail-Triptychon-Anna-May#