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Austin Osman Spare

Austin Osman Spare was a British painter, writer, occultist and war artist (1886–1956). He was born at London.

Also recorded as Austin Osman.

Austin Osman Spare in brief

Born
1886
Died
1956
Known for
painter, writer, occultist and war artist
Place of birth
London
Contents

Career and activity

Austin Osman Spare worked in drawing, visual arts and occultism. His work is associated with Symbolism.

He worked at London.

Recognition and collections

Work by Austin Osman Spare is held by Auckland Art Gallery, National Gallery of Victoria and Harry Ransom Center.

Catalogued works

14 works under this name are catalogued by Wikidata Query Service, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Wellcome Collection. Their recorded dates run from 1900 to 2011.

Earth Inferno. The Book of Pleasure. The Focus of Life. Lizard and Specter, dated ca. 1900, gouache (bodycolor), held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, inventory 67.753.3. Earth - Inferno, dated 1905, illustrations: woodblock prints, held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, inventory 1977.643.15. The Focus of Life: The Mutterings of Aaos, dated 1921, illustrations: reproduced drawings, held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, inventory 67.802.21. Austin Osman Spare : the life and legend of London's lost artist / by Phil Baker ; introduction by Alan Moore., dated 2011, held by Wellcome Collection. The bookplate designs of Austin Osman Spare / Robert Ansell., dated 1988, held by Wellcome Collection. World War I: a road near Fleubaix. Charcoal drawing by Austin Osman Spare., held by Wellcome Collection. World War I: stretcher bearers at rest. Charcoal drawing by Austin Osman Spare., held by Wellcome Collection. World War I: an aid post. Drawing in coloured chalks by Austin Osman Spare., held by Wellcome Collection. World War I: a relay post at Ginchy. Drawing in coloured chalks by Austin Osman Spare., held by Wellcome Collection. Borough satyr : the life and art of Austin Osman Spare / compiled and edited by Robert Ansell., dated 2005, held by Wellcome Collection. World War I: an advanced dressing station, formerly Contalmaison château. Drawing in coloured chalks by Austin Osman Spare., held by Wellcome Collection.

In public collections

Work associated with this heading is recorded in 2 named public collections.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art: 3 recorded objects, read from the institution's own published catalogue. Wellcome Collection: 36 recorded objects, read from the institution's own published catalogue.

Literature

6 scholarly publications naming this subject were located in the registry of record.

Spare, Austin Osman, Benezit Dictionary of Artists, 2011. Spare, Austin Osman (1886–1956), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2018. Spare, Austin Osman (1886–1956), artist and occultist, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004. Austin Osman Spare, The Occult World, 2014. Read online: Lost Envoy, revised and updated edition: The Tarot Deck of Austin Osman Spare by Jonathan Allen, Mark Pilkington, 2026. Aseemista okkultismia: Austin Osman Sparen maagiset monogrammit, Tahiti, 2018.

Digitised editions and texts

9 digitised items associated with this heading are catalogued by Internet Archive.

Austin Osman Spare - MATERIAL (1886) — Internet Archive. A Book Of Satyrs And An Examination — Internet Archive. From The Inferno To Zos: The Writings and Images of Austin Osman Spare (Vol. 1) (1993) — Internet Archive. Book Of Satyrs — Internet Archive. Austin Osman Spare — Internet Archive. AUTOMATIC DRAWING (1916) — Internet Archive. The Zoëtic Grimoire of Zos: The Formulae of Zos vel Thanatos — Internet Archive. The Writings of Austin Osman Spare: Automatic Drawings, Anathema of Zos, The Book of Pleasure, and The Focus of Life (2007) — Internet Archive. The Book of Pleasure: The Psychology of Ecstasy (2015) — Internet Archive.

Scholarly footprint

Bibliographic registers publish measured figures for this heading: 20 language editions of the general reference literature carrying an article (Wikimedia (language editions)). A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.

Evidence base

This article draws on 6 independent source lineages. Copies and mirrors of the same underlying record were collapsed into a single witness, so 6 means 6 genuinely separate publishers of record. 14 further registers were consulted and returned nothing for this heading.

In detail

Austin Osman Spare studied at City and Guilds of London Art School. the recorded working language is English.

The field of work recorded is drawing, visual arts and occultism. The authority associates the name with Symbolism.

Places of work recorded in the authority are London.

Work by Austin Osman Spare is recorded in the collections of Auckland Art Gallery, National Gallery of Victoria and Harry Ransom Center.

Chronology

  1. 1886Austin Osman Spare born at London.
  2. 1886Austin Osman Spare - MATERIAL digitised by Internet Archive.
  3. 1900Lizard and Specter (The Metropolitan Museum of Art).
  4. 1905Earth - Inferno (The Metropolitan Museum of Art).
  5. 1916AUTOMATIC DRAWING digitised by Internet Archive.
  6. 1921The Focus of Life: The Mutterings of Aaos (The Metropolitan Museum of Art).
  7. 1956Austin Osman Spare died at London.
  8. 1993From The Inferno To Zos: The Writings and Images of Austin Osman Spare (Vol. 1) digitised by Internet Archive.

Sources

Each source is named with the standing the house places on it, so the evidence can be weighed rather than taken on trust.

  1. 1.

    Austin Osman Spare, The Occult World, 2014

    scholarly publication · Scholarly

    Consult the source
  2. 2.

    Read online: Lost Envoy, revised and updated edition: The Tarot Deck of Austin Osman Spare by Jonathan Allen, Mark Pilkington, 2026

    scholarly publication · Scholarly

    Consult the source
  3. 3.

    Spare, Austin Osman (1886–1956), artist and occultist, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004

    scholarly publication · Scholarly

    Consult the source
  4. 4.

    Spare, Austin Osman (1886–1956), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2018

    scholarly publication · Scholarly

    Consult the source
  5. 5.

    Spare, Austin Osman, Benezit Dictionary of Artists, 2011

    scholarly publication · Scholarly

    Consult the source
  6. 6.

    Directory of Open Access Journals lists 1 article naming Austin Osman Spare.

    open access index · Unverified

    Consult the source
  7. 7.

    Internet Archive, 9 digitised items catalogued under Austin Osman Spare as creator.

    digital repository · Unverified

    Consult the source
  8. 8.

    The Metropolitan Museum of Art, collection records associated with Austin Osman Spare (3 objects).

    museum collection · Unverified · The Metropolitan Museum of Art

    Consult the source
  9. 9.

    Wellcome Collection catalogue records 36 works naming Austin Osman Spare.

    museum collection · Unverified · Wellcome Collection

    Consult the source
  10. 10.

    Wikidata, structured authority record Q713017: Austin Osman Spare

    reference work · Reputable secondary · Wikimedia Foundation

    Consult the source
  11. 11.

    “Austin Osman Spare”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading

    reference work · Reputable secondary · Wikipedia

    Consult the source

Elsewhere in Paintings

2,986 published records in this field, each with its sources named.

Best supported in this field

Read the complete paintings index

For owners

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