Surrealism and Operative Alchemy

*; Draws on rare primary documents to reveal the connections between surrealism, 20th century alchemy, and 19th century occultism*; Explores liphas Lvi, Jewish and Christian Kabbalah, and Hermeticism to show how surrealist symbology contained an initiatory dimension or ';secret teaching'*; Details collaborations between surrealists Andr Breton, Bernard Roger, and Salvador Dal and alchemists Ren Alleau, Eugne Canseliet, and FulcanelliOver the last century the symbols and strangeness of the surrealists have become world-renowned, but what isn't so well-known is the hidden relationship between surrealism and alchemy. The works of both traditions not only had a decisive influence on each other but created a unique path for alchemy to leave its underground workshops to shine in the light of popular culture.Patrick Lepetit draws on rare primary documents to reveal the connections between surrealism, 20th-century alchemy, and 19th-century occultism. He examines the hidden subtleties of surrealism to see the esoteric messages embedded in its vision of the self and cosmos. Exploring the writings of liphas Lvi, Jewish and Christian Kabbalah, and Hermeticism, Lepetit shows how surrealist symbology contained an initiatory dimension, a ';secret teaching' that was integral to its expression and deeply inspiring to the surrealists. Early alchemists used codes and word games, such as the perfect and divine ';language of the birds,' to discuss the work in ways that would baffle the uninitiated and evade the suspicions of the church. Readers will learn about the artists Andr Breton, Salvador Dal, Irene Hillel-Erlanger, Bernard Roger, and Jorge Camacho and how they worked with alchemists Fulcanelli, Ren Alleau, and Eugne Canseliet.Surrealism and Operative Alchemy is a deeply researched study that situates the surrealists in their proper place as members of an age-old tradition of wisdom.