Elisar von Kupffer
Encyclopedia
Elisar von Kupffer was an artist, anthologist, poet, historian, translator, and playwright. He used the pseudonym
'Elisarion' for much of his writing.
He studied at St. Petersburg
and then Berlin
. After travels in Italy
from 1902 to 1915, he established himself as a fine-art painter and mural
ist in Locarno
, Switzerland
, with his partner the historian and philosopher
Eduard von Mayer (1873-1960). From 1925 to 1929 they transformed their Minusio
villa
(at the Lake Maggiore
) into an opulent collection of art, the 'Sanctuarium Artis Elisarion'. From 1981 this has been a Museum dedicated to von Kupffer's work. The couple were at the heart of a religious movement called the Klarismus (in English: 'Clarity').
In 1899/1900 Adolf Brand
published von Kupffer's influential anthology
of homoerotic
literature, Lieblingminne und Freundesliebe in der Weltliteratur in Berlin. The anthology was reprinted in 1995. The anthology was researched and created, in part, as a protest against the imprisonment of Oscar Wilde
in England
.
Other publications include: the 1900 Irrlichter (the three stage plays Andrei, Erich and Narkissos); a 1908 book on Sodoma, the Renaissance
artist; a 1912 stage play Aino und Tio; and the 1912 volume of poems Hymnen der Heiligen Burg. His work was also published and reviewed in the gay magazine Akademos
published by Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen
.
He was also a photographer, making photographic studies of boys for use in the creation of his paintings, but more often his own rejuvenated form can be seen as a subject of his art works.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
'Elisarion' for much of his writing.
He studied at St. Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
and then Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. After travels in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
from 1902 to 1915, he established himself as a fine-art painter and mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
ist in Locarno
Locarno
Locarno is the capital of the Locarno district, located on the northern tip of Lake Maggiore in the Swiss canton of Ticino, close to Ascona at the foot of the Alps. It has a population of about 15,000...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, with his partner the historian and philosopher
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
Eduard von Mayer (1873-1960). From 1925 to 1929 they transformed their Minusio
Minusio
Minusio is a municipality in the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:In the Ceresole section, a significant Iron Age necropolis was discovered. It held about 20 graves and rich grave goods. Nearby, several Roman graveyards from the 1st and 2nd Centuries AD, were...
villa
Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
(at the Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest of Italy and largest of southern Switzerland. Lake Maggiore is the most westerly of the three great prealpine lakes of Italy, it extends for about 70 km between Locarno and Arona.The climate is mild...
) into an opulent collection of art, the 'Sanctuarium Artis Elisarion'. From 1981 this has been a Museum dedicated to von Kupffer's work. The couple were at the heart of a religious movement called the Klarismus (in English: 'Clarity').
In 1899/1900 Adolf Brand
Adolf Brand
Adolf Brand was a German writer, individualist anarchist and pioneering campaigner for the acceptance of male bisexuality and homosexuality.-Biography:...
published von Kupffer's influential anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
of homoerotic
Homoeroticism
Homoeroticism refers to the erotic attraction between members of the same sex, either male–male or female–female , most especially as it is depicted or manifested in the visual arts and literature. It can also be found in performative forms; from theatre to the theatricality of uniformed movements...
literature, Lieblingminne und Freundesliebe in der Weltliteratur in Berlin. The anthology was reprinted in 1995. The anthology was researched and created, in part, as a protest against the imprisonment of Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Other publications include: the 1900 Irrlichter (the three stage plays Andrei, Erich and Narkissos); a 1908 book on Sodoma, the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
artist; a 1912 stage play Aino und Tio; and the 1912 volume of poems Hymnen der Heiligen Burg. His work was also published and reviewed in the gay magazine Akademos
Akademos
Akademos was an Attic hero in Greek mythology. The tale traditionally told of him is that when Castor and Polydeuces invaded Attica to liberate their sister Helen, he betrayed to them that she was kept concealed at Aphidnae...
published by Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen
Jacques d'Adelsward-Fersen
Baron Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen was a novelist and poet of the early 20th century; his modern fame is based on a mid-century fictionalised biography by Roger Peyrefitte....
.
He was also a photographer, making photographic studies of boys for use in the creation of his paintings, but more often his own rejuvenated form can be seen as a subject of his art works.
Works
- "Leben und Lieben.Gedichte" (1895).
- Irrlichter (1900, three theatreworks Andrei, Erich and Narkissos).
- "Klima und Dichtung. Ein Beitrag zur Psychophysik" (1907).
- "Giovan Antonio-il Sodoma. Eine Seelen- und Kunststudie von Elisàr von Kupffer" (1908) in: Jahrbuch für sexuelle Zwischenstufen, edition IX.
- Aino und Tio (1907).
- "Was soll uns der Klarismus?-nationale Kraft" (1912).
- "Die Gotteslästerungen der Bibel und der Antike" (1912).
- "Hymnen der Heiligen Burg" (1913).
- "3000 Jahre Bolschewismus" (1919).
- "Heldische Sicht und Froher Glaube" (1942).
- "Aus einem wahrhaften Leben" (1943).
Further reading
- Fabio Ricci: Ritter, Tod und Eros: Die Kunst Elisàr von Kupffers (1872-1942) (2007) basic scientifical work about E. von Kupffer, 80 reproductions (ISBN 978-3-412-20064-0)
- Cecile Beurdeley (Trans.: M. Taylor). L'Amour bleu (1978) (Reproduces many examples of Kupffer's murals at Locarno). ISBN 0-8478-0129-2
- Graziano Mandozzi. Elisarion : un santuario per il Clarismo (1996) ISBN 88-900159-0-X