The creative artist serves a spirit of nature which tries to manifest itself through him. But sometimes its enormous energy is too much for him, especially when the body becomes older. Peter Birkhäuser painted this picture, which is based on a dream, shortly before his death. The frail human being has to surrender to the powerful god.

The lynx is a far-sighted creature which can see in the dark. Its name is related to “lux” (light).

SOURCE: Light from the Darkness: the Paintings of Peter Birkhäuser, (1980), p84-5.; commentary by his therapist Marie-Louise von Franz.

EDITOR'S NOTE

The book has parallel German and English notes; the German for lynx is Luchs, punning on 'lux' more directly than in English. Von Franz's comment on the lynx's night vision isn't idle either; she's implying Peter, by dying, is going not to the Christian conception of the Light, but to the Lynx; to his personal god, his personification (or catification) of dreams. Night visions. The visions he'd dedicated his life to.

TECHNICAL NOTE

The proportions, cropping and color balance of the illustration are questionable, as several pages were stolen from my library's copy of Light from the Darkness; I substituted an online copy, but it needed substantial correction. I guessed as well as I could, based on Peter's other work. My apologies.

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