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Stories

  • Article

Western magic’s fascination with the foreigner

Could modern magic shows be perpetuating damaging cultural stereotypes? Shelley Saggar shows how ‘exotic’ costumes and imagery are far from harmless fun.

  • Article

The yogi as hermit, warrior, criminal and showman

How the modern world changed the life and reputation of the yogi.

  • Article

Menstruation, magic and moon myths

Why do stories cloaking periods in magic and mystery persist? Pragya Agarwal argues against myth-making and for inclusive menstrual education, grounded in fact.

  • Article

Dazzling luxury

As the 20th century dawned, both elite and masses basked in the marvellous and unearthly glow of the new electric illumination.

All stories (18)

Images

  • Mystical sentences, with the figure of the Airy Horse. Chromolithograph.
  • Mystical body of tantric meditation, flow of the life force
  • "Little Nickoli" : the smallest comedy mystic man in the world.
  • "Little Nickoli" : the smallest comedy mystic man in the world.
  • A Mevlevi, or whirling dervish, performing a ritual mystic dance. Drawing, ca. 1850 (?).
  • EA. - Babylonian Deity of Healing. Fish deity with mystic offerings, in British Museum.
  • The mystic marriage of Catherine of Alexandria and the infant Christ. Etching by C. Bouzonnet Stella after F. Lauri.
  • Padmasambhava as Guru Dragmar: Padmasambhava takes the form of the mystic ritual dagger (phurba). Gouache painting by a Tibetan artist.
  • The mystic marriage of Catherine of Alexandria and the infant Christ. Engraving by J. Vendramini after Cheri after C. Maratta.
  • A rishi (Hindu teacher of mystical knowledge) with 'Vishnu' marks on his forehead and body. Gouache painting by an Indian artist.
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Catalogue

All works (806)