HORTUS CONCLUSUS

My books, wherever they reach,
turn resigned, tormented souls into happy people.

– ON MY BEHALF

Under the title Hortus conclusus (Enclosed Garden), Bô Yin Râ symbolically encapsulates his opus—a series of spiritual textbooks. He elaborates on this concept in the opening chapter of the final volume, which is also titled Hortus conclusus.

The series comprises 32 books and spiritual paintings. Additionally, Bô Yin Râ authored writings that complement the main work and left behind secular artworks, primarily landscapes.

Since 1927, all writings have been published by Kober Verlag AG Bern, Switzerland. Some art prints of his paintings are available there; you can find a selection of additional prints here.

The Hortus conclusus series has been translated into Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, English, Esperanto, Estonian, French, Greek, Hungarian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish, with publications in the respective countries.

Although Bô Yin Râ encourages reading his works in German, as noted in the book Codicil to the Hortus conclusus (page 10), this website provides only a summary of their meaning in English.

THE WRITINGS

Anyone who has once immersed themselves in my manner of depiction
and then allows words and syllables to penetrate their inner self
will receive from their own innermost depths what they need.
– ABOUT MY WRITINGS

The Hortus conclusus series includes the following 32 books:

The Book On The Royal Art (1913/1932) 

–>The Book On The Living God (1919/1927) 

The Book On The Life Beyond (1920/1929) 

The Book On The Human Nature (1920/1928) 

The Book On Happiness (1920) 

The Path To God (1924) 

The Book On Love (1922/1931) 

The Book On Solace (1924) 

The Book Of Dialogues (1920) 

The Secret (1923) 

The Wisdom Of St. John (1924) 

Signposts Along The Way (1928) 

The Mirage Of True Freedom (1930) 

The Path Of My Pupils (1932) 

The Mystery Of Golgatha (1922/1930) 

Ceremonial Magic And Myth ( 1924) 

The Meaning Of This Life (1927) 

More Light (1921/1936) 
Life's Highest Goal (1925) 

Resurrection (1926) 

Worlds Of Spirit (1922) –> featuring the painting cycle Worlds 

Psalms  (1924) 

On Marriage (1925) 

On Prayer (1926) 

Spirit And Form (1924) 

22 German Mantras–The Use Of Mantras (1922) 

Worlds Of Life (1923) 

Above The Everyday ( 1934) 

Reality Eternal (1934) 

Living In The Eternal Light (1934) 

Letters To One And To Many (1935) 

Gated Garden–Hortus Conclusus (1936) 

The following works were published as extensions of the core teachings of the Hortus conclusus:

The Realm of Art (1921/1933)
Enigmas Of The Nature's Invisible Realm (1923)

About My Books (1929) –> Excerpt 

My Work As A Painter (1932) 

Concerning My Name (1927)

About My Books (1929)
Codicil To The Hortus Conclusus (1937) 

Miscellanea (1938)
On Godlessness (1939)

Spiritual Relationships (1939)

Gleanings I And II

THE PAINTING CYCLE WORLDS

I wouldn’t know how to convey the essence of these paintings to viewers through 'explanations,'
because if what is depicted here could be captured in words,
then I wouldn’t have expressed it in form and color.

I can only say that everything I reveal in these images
is as real and self-evident to my inner vision
as any object in the external world is to my outer sight.
I have met people who see the same with their inner eye
and were delighted to recognize an artistic representation of it here.

– WORLDS OF SPIRIT

The Worlds painting cycle consists of 20 works and is part of the book Worlds of Spirit (Welten).

We do not have better images available. However, most of the Worlds paintings can be purchased in high quality as art prints or even as replicas from Kober Publishing.

To enlarge or reduce the images, click on them and use the zoom controls on your device.

Regarding the creation period of the Worlds cycle: In the second (1960) and third (1997) editions of the book 'Der Maler Bô Yin Râ' (The Painter Bô Yin Râ), on page 126, Rudolf Schott writes about the Worlds paintings: "Bô Yin Râ created these compositions in Görlitz (approximately 1920 to 1922) for himself and those close to him who understood." (p. 126). This information was valid for many decades.

Recent research in the Görlitz archives has established that the latest possible date for the completion of the Worlds cycle is May 1921, as an exhibition by the Jakob Böhme Association in Görlitz that month included the Worlds series. (source: Magische Blätter April 2020, S. 137ff)

In the book My Work As A Painter (p. 44) by Bô Yin Râ it is noted that the first spiritual paintings were already created before Expressionism emerged. In his article in the Görlitzer Gazette dated June 5, 1921 (Magische Blätter, April 2020, p. 140), Bô Yin Râ directly references this timeframe in relation to the majority of the Worlds paintings displayed in the aforementioned exhibition. Bô Yin Râ includes a similar statement in the preface to his book Worlds of Spirit (1922). If we date the beginning of Expressionism to the founding of the German artist group 'Die Brücke' in 1905, then only the early years of the century remain as the period for the creation of the first spiritual paintings. Further evidence of this is found in Bô Yin Râ's obituary for Max Klinger (Nachlese II, Kober-Verlag, pp. 63ff), who passed away on July 4, 1920.

Bô Yin Râ writes that he first encountered Max Klinger fifteen years earlier, in 1905. Both this account and the referenced chapter from My Work As A Painter indicate that the first spiritual paintings already existed at that time, even though Bô Yin Râ showed them to Klinger only in a subsequent meeting. Additionally, a newspaper article from 1921 states that the Worlds series were already twenty years old (Magische Blätter, April 2020, pp. 232f).

Remarkably, Schott himself writes in the first edition (1927) of the aforementioned book, which Bô Yin Râ was still able to review: "Bô Yin Râ painted most of these compositions a long time ago – some nearly a quarter of a century ago ..." We can therefore now be certain that most of the Worlds paintings were created soon after the beginning of the 20th century with the first, still hidden writings of the spiritual teachings (Hortus conclusus and The Path of My Pupils, each in the concluding chapter). Additionally, it can be inferred that the pentagonal signature with the initials of the spiritual name, which Bô Yin Râ only received in Greece in 1912/1913, must have been added later to most of the paintings. In fact, even the pictures in the first edition (1922) of the book Worlds of Spirit do not yet feature this pentagonal signature.

As reported in Magische Blätter (November 2022, pp. 28ff), we learn from the Swedish Bô Yin Râ Foundation that all the Worlds paintings were sold to Sweden "around 1920". In the spring of 1952, they were transferred to Switzerland, where they remain to this day. In 1956, the second edition of Worlds of Spirit was published by Kober Verlag with new illustrations. Based on the artist’s biographical data, it can be concluded that he never saw the Worlds paintings again after the Görlitz exhibition in May 1921.

The referenced 'Magische Blätter' can be purchased from the publisher here.

* * *

Finally, it should be noted that all the biographical data on these pages are irrelevant to the appreciation of the books and paintings—provided that by 'appreciation' we mean an internalization similar to the way one consumes food to experience its effects, rather than analyzing its contents.

In this analogy with food, the external information provided here would be akin to the packaging—not aimed at describing the contents, but rather at pointing them out so that they can be found!

The biographical details have fulfilled their purpose if they invite those unfamiliar with the author and painter to pause and consider whether they wish to absorb the "nourishment" offered. For those who have made Bô Yin Râ's work a companion in life and whose interest eventually turns to the earthly journey of the creator—even though it is "not necessary"—these details may help them understand how his work came into the world without the need for their own exhaustive searches.

CATALOGUE RAISONNÉ

A specific focus of the Foundation is the creation of a Catalogue Raisonné, especially of the pictorial works. As far as we know a complete works catalogue does not yet exist and shall contain all the writings published by the author and all fine art works by the hand of the artist.

The primary goal of the catalogue is the preservation of the work itself—as faithfully and completely as possible. The Bô Yin Râ Catalogue Raisonné will therefore be not just a list of titles but, above all, an archive with reproductions in both word and image. As the project progresses, we plan to keep you informed here.

 ARTWORK ARCHIVE

The following paintings have been digitized by the German Bô Yin Râ Foundation and we are making them available here for meditative viewing on the screen – landscapes and, especially, spiritual images.

However, the original fidelity of the high-quality image files in the emerging artwork archive, each approximately 1-2 GB in size, cannot be fully appreciated on a screen. On typical monitors, one would not discern any advantage of the original data compared to the web files, which are reduced in color depth and resolution. This is due to the limitation of 8-bit color depth, lower resolution, and, above all, the lack of color calibration on standard monitors. The fact that one can adjust brightness, saturation, color temperature, etc., at will in screen viewing programs only adds to this issue.

It can be stated, in principle, that a physical reproduction illuminated by daylight inherently comes closer to the original painting than a self-illuminated digital image, which requires darkness to achieve its optimal effect.

Most people will also achieve a more undisturbed devotion with tangible, 'concrete' images than with a computer. which tends to demand its own attention. As a result, we consider the art prints to be the goal of the artwork archive, with the digital data serving as a means to that end.

 FINE ART PRINTS

We are therefore pleased that these paintings can be offered as high-quality art prints by the publisher Magische Blätter. There, you will find more information about the prints. Only the price for printing and shipping charged by the executing company will apply. The German Bô Yin Râ Foundation provides the image data free of charge.

With the art prints, you can trust that the paintings will appear as intended by the artist, due to their color and detail fidelity.

PREFACE TO THE PRESENTATION ON THIS WEBSITE

DRAWINGS

FROM DREAMLAND

> Click the image to view individual pictures.

Dimensions of Drawings:

1. Dreamer and Realist 16,1 x 14,9

2. The Self-Tormentors 19,1 x 15,8

3. Tired Souls 16,1 x 16,4

4. The Quietest Path 16,8 x 16,5

5. The Path of the Accomplished 17,0 x 17,7

6. The White Path 17,1 x 16,9

7. Doubt 18,2 x 16,9

8. At the Dream Source 16,9 x 18,2

9. In the Land of Certainty 16,6 x 15,2

10. Scherzo infinito 14,1 x 13,4

Date Taken: April 24th 2022

'From Dreamland' is a series of ten (most likely) pen-and-ink drawings that were reproduced and published in 1906 by 'Berlin Verlag,' along with a preface and table of contents. However, the images shown here are based not on the original drawings or the 1906 portfolio but on a photographic reproduction from at least the 1920s, as indicated by paper analysis. The white photographic papers are affixed to A4-sized cardboard at their upper edges and are enclosed in a folder of the same color as the cardboard.

It is remarkable that this 'result of the night' came into being at the same time as the first spiritual paintings and the initial drafts of the textbooks, as indicated by the text accompanying the Worlds paintings mentioned above. In the obituary for Max Klinger from 1920, Bô Yin Râ writes, "I nevertheless only dared to present to the public two portfolio works [note: From Dreamland, Phantasies] of purely symbolic content at that time [note: 1906] and did not draw attention with my color-symbolic [note: spiritual] works ...". In 1922 and 1923, drawings of a similar nature were also published in the journal 'Der Türmer' (Magische Blätter, July 2022, pp. 335 and 337).

In his autobiographical book My Work as a Painter, published in 1932, these works are not concealed but their significance is put into perspective: "... I also tried at times to give shape to many a more p o e t i c mood in series of black-and-white drawings. But such attempts were always quickly overcome and eradicated within me, even if they had brought me relatively more recognition and encouragement than my inherent striving for an 'i m a g e' that was completely at calm with itself, resolved s o l e l y in the spiritual values of its forms and colors."

EXLIBRIS CRAMER-KLETT

Dimensions of Drawing: 10,0 x 7,5
Sheet Size: 14,1 x 10,5

Date Taken: April 27th 2022

An ex libris (bookplate or book owner's mark) is a sheet pasted into a book to indicate its owner. Ex libris emerged soon after the invention of the printing press and have inspired prominent artists over the centuries. According to the introduction to the ex libris catalog of the Gutenberg Museum Mainz, which is the largest catalog of its kind in the world with approximately 49,000 entries, ex libris experienced its first flourishing from the end of the 15th century to the 17th century. However, the golden era was during the years 1890–1925. During this period, Hans Thoma and Max Klinger are foremost among the artists who set standards in ex libris design. Both Thoma and Klinger had a personal relationship with Bô Yin Râ.

This ex libris is cataloged there under number 40610.

EXLIBIRIS KRAUS

Dimensions: 10,1 x 7,6
Sheet Size: 14,1 x 10,5
Date Taken: December 6th 2021

This ex libris is described in the ex libris catalog of the Gutenberg Museum Mainz under number 10027, which confirms its authorship. Additionally, the artist's monogram can be found in the lower left corner. In 1906, Bô Yin Râ published the series 'Phantasien', consisting of 20 symbolic pen drawings, through the Berlin publishing house 'Wilhelm Kraus'. It is reasonable to assume that the creation of this ex libris also dates to around that time.

Note: In the reproduction of this print an ink spot has been retouched outside of the drawing at the top left.

E.V. STEINLE

Dimensions: 35 x 29
Date Taken: December 6th 2021

This drawing by the 16-year-old from 1893 at the beginning of his training at the Städelsche Kunstinstitut in Frankfurt is the earliest known work by the artist, that we know of. In terms of technical implementation, it appears to be black and white chalk on light brown cardboard. The signature E.v. Steinle (Edward von Steinle, painter, first professor at the Städelsches Institut) was added later in pencil.

Dimensions: 23 x 32
Date Taken: December 6th 2021

Melchior Lechter was born in Münster in 1865, and, apart from several trips, lived as a visual artist in Berlin since 1884. Key focus areas of his work were graphics and glass windows. A closer acquaintance with the young Joseph Anton Schneider during his time in Berlin, as the affection of his collection suggests, has not yet been mentioned anywhere, as far we know.

This pencil drawing was likely unknown until now. Acquired in the 1990s by a Munich collector from Melchior Lechter's estate in Capri, it was auctioned from the Hunsrück in November 2021 and has since returned to its place of origin in Berlin, where it is now accessible to a larger audience for the first time. The name of the drawing has not been passed on, and the one given here is only intended to state the obvious without any further interpretation.

Note: Four spots were subsequently retouched in this reproduction, all outside the pencil frame. The brown spots are mold stains in the paper. (The compressed folder available for download also contains the unretouched version.)

WINTER DAY – FINSTERTOR IN GÖRLITZ

Dimensions: 75 x 106

Görlitz Collections/Cultural History Museum, Inv. No. 2226-2008

Date Taken: April 19th 2024

The painting Wintertag – Finstertor in Görlitz was gifted to the city of Görlitz in 2008 by the artist's daughter. It has been hanging since then in the Görlitzer Kaisertrutz, one of the five exhibition sites of the Kulturhistorisches Museum, and is probably the only painting by Bô Yin Râ in a public museum and his only one with a motif from Görlitz. The daughter informed that the painting "Winter Day is an artistic representation of the old Görlitz Finstertor, as named by my father..."

The comparison with the actual appearance of the Finstertor, as seen on this postcard with a postmark from 1917, just before the creation of the painting, provides a small glimpse into Bô Yin Râ's artistic work.

Anyone expecting a realistic depiction rather than an artistic representation of inner experience, where the outer appearance merely served as a starting point, might even dispute the connection with the Görlitz Finstertor, as the first impression of the image differs significantly from the original model. However, a second look reveals that the artist incorporates and artistically elaborates on most of the characteristic elements of the place in his depiction: positioned at the edge of the field of view are the cassette window with its shutters (the latter having been restored since, but missing on the postcard), the door, and the downspout; along with the crumbling plaster and the rare curve of the path through a city gate, highlighted by the traces of wheels. The protective bollards in front of the gate arches are still present on the rear side of the gate. The round arch, instead of the pointed arch—a noticeable alteration of the motif—corresponds to the bend in the path, and a spring-like greenish tinge, another artistic addition, rests on the gate. The adjacent hoof or footprint marks beside the wheel tracks under the archway seem to suggest a pause before entering the brighter side. The forbidding, impenetrable cemetery wall on the left, which continues behind the Finstertor above the rampart, is transformed by Bô Yin Râ into a permeable, low parapet that opens up the view to the lands beyond. A deep calm envelops the frozen scene; only the traces of the passerby and the presence of a person from the recently past romantic era might find the theme of death, associated with the adjacent cemetery, symbolized in the season of its name—though without the attribute of darkness usually associated with this theme.

The Finstertor is only a few meters away from the grave of Jakob Böhme, to whom Bô Yin Râ dedicated a chapter in his book Signposts Along the Way.

Dimensions: 60 x 90
Date Taken: November 16th 2020

Caption on the frame is by Bô Yin Râ himself: Joseph Schneiderfranken Wald im Riesengebirge

In Rudolf Schott's book 'Der Maler Bô Yin Râ' (The Painter Bô Yin Râ), the painting is listed only as 'Im Riesengebirge' (In the Giant Mountains). However, it is not included in the first edition from 1927, which the painter reviewed.

Starting on August 11, 1919, the painting was exhibited along with other works in the Memorial Hall in Görlitz, according to the Niederschlesische Zeitung of August 12, 1919 (source: Magische Blätter, March 2021, p. 179). The newspaper article also refers to it as Wald im Riesengebirge. This has prompted us to publish it again under its original title.

OCEAN LANDSCAPE WITH SAILING BOAT

Dimensions: 13 x 19
Date Taken: October 7th 2021

This small image sketch is already known from the book 'Griechenlandskizzen' (Sketches of Greece) by Rudolf Schott, which contains 22 sketches in their original size and high image quality. According to the detailed introduction, the Greece sketches were made on-site in 1912/1913 "with the intention of later developing them into larger landscape paintings." Unfortunately, due to the painter's numerous commitments, this often did not occur, as is likely the case here.

EVENING IN CORFU

Dimensions: 60 x 100
Date Taken: November 18th 2020

The name of the picture, Abend auf Korfu is written on the frame on which the canvas is mounted and as a result is regarded as the original name.

DELPHI (2)

Dimensions: 75 x 85
Date Taken: November 18th 2020

The name was newly assigned here due to the lack of historical records.

There is a smaller image with a very similar motif, which is likely the on-site sketch for this painting. To differentiate it, the designation number 2 has been added. A preliminary sketch with black pencil is visible under the painting. The painting is in the same condition as when it was created and was cleaned before digitization. The fine color nuances are now visible again, which had previously been obscured by heavy surface dirt.

The painting depicts the site of the Sanctuary of Apollo in Delphi, viewed approximately from the village's exit. The small building is the restored Treasury of the Athenians. Only the foundations of the Apollo Temple behind it, which housed the Oracle of Delphi, remain. Above the entrance of this sacred temple at that time was the inscription “Know thyself!”—a quote cited by Bô Yin Râ in the book Worlds of Spirit and in The Book On The Royal Art. The references provided by the author suggest that the encounter described in the chapter Magic from The Book Of Dialogues (Das Buch der Gespräche) took place here.

GULF OF ITEA (1)

Dimensions: 50 x 70
Date Taken: July 26th 2024

The name is confirmed by an inscription on the stretcher, and it is likely the same painting exhibited in 1919 under the title Morning at Itea at the previously mentioned Görlitz exhibition: The long shadows of the mountains are consistent with the time of day depicted, and the only other nearly identical painting from Itea, signed "Bô Yin Râ 1929," is also known. The Gulf of Itea extends below Delphi.

The painting has a turbulent history: According to historical accounts, it was purchased from a dealer in Zurich in 1935, emigrated with its owners to the USA in 1942, spent many years in New York, was passed down to Montreal in 1997, and returned to Germany in 2024.

SPRING DAY ON THE GULF OF ARGOS

Dimensions: 75 x 105
Date Taken: November 16th 2020

The name of the painting is written in Bô Yin Râ's handwriting on the back of the stretch frame and therefore seems authentic.

To reach the location where the painter was positioned, hike south from Nauplia (pronounced Nafplio in modern Greek) to Arvanitia Beach, then continue southeast along the footpath towards Karathona Beach.

Note: The original now shows some vertical streaks in the horizontally layered water surface, which have been minimized in the image with the least possible intervention in the data. These vertical structures are not part of the artist's original design but occurred later. The compressed folder available for download also includes the unretouched version.

We assure that no digital restoration has been performed without such a note.

ASKLEPIEION IN ATHENS (2)

Dimensions: 76 x 86
Date Taken: June 23th 2021

The depicted Asklepieion zu Athen is situated on the southern slope of the Athenian Acropolis, with the Philopappos Hill in the background. In Schott's book 'Der Maler Bô Yin Râ', from which we have derived the painting’s title and appended the number 2 for distinction, there is a study of this detailed painting. The in-depth analysis provided there leaves little to be added.

A painting of an Asclepius Sanctuary—without a specific location—was exhibited at the Görlitz Art Exhibition, which opened on August 11, 1919, as noted in a newspaper article (Magische Blätter, March 2021, p. 179). It is likely that this was the same painting, as no other Asclepius work by Bô Yin Râ is known, and the exhibition of the study is unlikely. In 1929, it was acquired by Prince Heinrich of Schaumburg-Lippe, who was personally acquainted with Bô Yin Râ (Magische Blätter, December 2020, pp. 211f). The painting was later located in Madrid and was not publicly viewable again until June 2021, when it was exhibited at an auction in Berlin. Although it was auctioned under the name 'The Ruins of Kos'—which would also refer to an Asclepius Sanctuary—we consider this location unlikely given Schott's book and the known places where the artist resided.

The signature is also noteworthy. With a creation year of 1913, it is the earliest clearly dated painting featuring the full spiritual name. Since Bô Yin Râ indicates in Concerning My Name that he first used his full spiritual name when signing works at the time of the publication of The Book On The Living God in early 1919, it suggests the possibility that the signature was added later, possibly in connection with the Görlitz exhibition.

THE ROCK SPRING

Dimensions: 49 x 58
Date Taken: November 16th 2020

The frame on which the canvas is mounted bears the signature 'Joseph Schneiderfranken' and the words Bô Yin Râ, Der Felsenquell – the latter, however, is unlikely Bô Yin Râ's own handwriting. The name of the painting likely comes from Bô Yin Râ himself.

The rare red priming of the canvas by Bô Yin Râ is particularly noticeable in the areas where water flows out, which, despite the ample light, does not produce any green.

The motif could not be identified for a long time until, in April 2024, a catalog booklet from the 1919 Görlitz exhibition, listing the names of all 66 landscape and flower paintings shown, was discovered in the archives of the Görlitz Collections for History and Culture. There is a work listed as Die Quelle Kallirrhoe (The Spring of Kallirrhoe), and there is substantial evidence suggesting that this is indeed the same painting. No other painting by Bô Yin Râ featuring a spring is known, and the pages of the German Archaeological Institute display a photograph of the Spring of Kallirrhoe, which bears a striking resemblance to Der Felsenquell. It notes, "The spring is located in Athens, southeast of the Olympieion in the riverbed of the Ilissos, opposite the church of Agia Photini, where it released a significant amount of water at the base of a steep cliff until 1962." This is directly south of the Temple of Olympian Zeus (Olympieion), which Bô Yin Râ also painted.

However, highlighting the name and location of the spring does little to set the mood for the artwork in this case, which may have been a reason for its later renaming.

PHALERON

Dimensions: 19 x 26
Date Taken: October 7th 2021

The Bay of Phaleron (today Paleo Faliro), located six kilometers southwest of the Athenian Acropolis, was the site of the harbor of Athens during Greek mythology. A comparison of maps suggests that the view depicted is to the west. Behind the viewer would be Cape Kolias (now Agios Kosmas), an area where Rudolf Schott identified another painting motif in his book 'Der Maler Bô Yin Râ' (The Painter Bô Yin Râ). Beyond the dark blue landmass lies the modern port of Piraeus, and in lighter blue, the mountains of the island of Salamis are discernible.

The sunset glow, the interplay of sunlight with earth dust and water vapor, seems to blaze like flames upon closer inspection, creating a sea of fire between heaven and earth in this composition of fire, water, earth, and air.

Note: For this small image, where the viewing distance is shorter, the combination print is also a good choice. The canvas texture remains visible but does not dominate as much as it does in the museum print.

ROCKY COAST ON THE ISLAND OF SYROS (2)

Dimensions: 61 x 86
Date Taken: April 11th 2024

Bô Yin Râ refers here to the coast glowing in countless color nuances in the poem Blessed Island, which, along with the surrounding verses, as presented in the book Gleanings, provides insights into the significance of this place in his life.

Until its 'discovery' about six months before the photograph was taken, the existence of this painting was likely known only to a very small circle, as no images of it could be found anywhere. The ordinal number (2) serves to distinguish it from a sketch of the same name, which can be seen in Magische Blätter, December 2022, p. 106.



From May 4 to November 17, 2024, the oil painting was again on display in the exhibition 'The Seekers – The Art of the Jakob Böhme Association 1920-1923' at the Kaisertrutz in Görlitz.

 MOONRISE OVER DELOS

Dimensions: 60 x 84
Date Taken: November 16th 2020
On the back of the frame Bô Yin Râ has written in blue:

Mondaufgang über Delos Made in 1913 Schneider-Franken

The name and creation date are therefore verified.

If the painting depicts a moonrise, the view must be to the east. Directly west of Delos is the uninhabited island of Rhenia, which is far too close to Delos for this perspective, making it an unlikely location due to its poor accessibility, although it was historically often counted as part of Delos. The painter's location can therefore only be Syra (modern Greek Syros). There are at least two other paintings that show the identical mountain range in the background during daylight.

COLOR WOODCUTS BY YOSHIJIRÔ URUSHIBARA

Evening in Spessart 
Dimensions: 30 x 37

Date Taken: August 19th 2022

The Little Bell 
Dimensions: 31 x 25

Date Taken: August 19th 2022

Cypress Garden on Euboea Island
Dimensions: 27 x 38

Date Taken: August 19th 2022

Columns of the Parthenon
Dimensions: 30 x 22

Date Taken: April 11th 2024

Winter Day in Attika

Dimensions: 25 x 34

Date Taken: April 11th 2024

These color woodcuts by the Japanese artist and printer Yoshijirô Urushibara (1888-1953) are based on painting motifs by Bô Yin Râ and are signed by both artists. The prints, produced from a single block, can vary significantly in color tone and intensity, and were consecutively numbered.

While the woodcuts do not strictly belong to Bô Yin Râ's oeuvre, they are mentioned by Bô Yin Râ in his book My Work As A Painter (p. 27), which may be of interest to some. Bô Yin Râ writes:

"My painting Evening in the Spessart, which the London-based Japanese artist Urushibara translated into the technique of traditional Japanese color woodcut and presented in his own way, remains undoubtedly the most

f a i t h f u l of all reproductions of my images to date. It belonged to the series of these first works that I have tried to describe here. (In the meantime, I have created two variations of the same theme, in which I have granted greater rights to the structure of the painting through the areas of brushstrokes.)"

More about Urushibara and his collaboration with Bô Yin Râ can be found in 'Magische Blätter', January 2021 issue, pp. 375f; more about the painting Evening in the Spessart can be found in the April 2022 issue, pp. 310f.

PAINTINGS FOR MEDITATION

Bô Yin Râ created spiritual paintings for meditation in inner calm and seclusion.

Here are words from Bô Yin Râ himself:

... shall the contemplation awaken  s o u n d  and  r h y t h m  in the soul.

–WORLDS OF SPIRIT

SPIRITUAL PAINTINGS

SOUNDS OF CREATION

Dimensions: 62 x 52
Date Taken: November 17th 2020

The title of the painting is written in Bô Yin Râ's handwriting on the back of the frame, indicating that it was given by the artist. The painting is discussed in the book 'Der Maler Bô Yin Râ' (The Painter Bô Yin Râ) by Rudolf Schott.

DAWN OF THE WORLDS

Dimensions: 95 x 65
Date Taken: November 16th 2020
For more about the painting, see the book 'Der Maler Bô Yin Râ' (The Painter Bô Yin Râ) by Rudolf Schott.

LOGOS

Dimensions: 105 x 75
Date Taken: November 17th 2020

The painting's title is written in Bô Yin Râ's handwriting along with his signature on the back of the frame, indicating it was assigned by the artist himself. The painting is discussed in Rudolf Schott's book 'Der Maler Bô Yin Râ' (The Painter Bô Yin Râ).

THE AWAKENING OF THE SOUL

Dimensions: 44 x 44
Date Taken: December 8th 2022
The painting's title is transmitted orally and may not necessarily be from the artist himself. Here you see one of the few spiritual paintings that had not been published before this recording.

COSMIC AWARENESS

Dimensions: 62,5 x 52,5
Date Taken: August 19th 2022

The painting was sold by the artist in 1932 under the aforementioned name and subsequently went to Brazil, initially to Rio de Janeiro. For almost 100 years, its existence was only known through an unclear black-and-white photograph. In 2019, it was acquired from the granddaughter of the original purchaser in São Paulo and is now in private ownership in Germany. After a successful restoration, it now reveals its full range of colors once again.

MAGICAL POWERS

Dimensions: 60 x 50
Date Taken: November 17th 2020

Bô Yin Râ also noted this title, along with his signature, on the back of the frame.

UNIO MYSTICA

Dimensions: 105 x 75
Date Taken: November 18th 2020

The title of the painting has been passed down to us from the artist in the same manner as for Magical Powers.

MARRIAGE

Dimensions: 65 x 55
Date Taken: November 18th 2020

The painting is simply titled 'Geistiges Bild' (Spiritual Painting) in the frame, but not in the painter’s handwriting.

The title previously given was 'The Jewel', but also 'Wedding' or 'Marriage'. The name Vermählung is a suggestion by the Bô Yin Râ Foundation.

Bô Yin Râ painted this picture as a wedding gift for a close couple; however, the shipment was lost and only reached the young couple with a five-year delay!

WEIHENACHT (*referring to Christmas)

Dimensions: 48 x 48
Date Taken: March 10th 2021

Rudolf Schott, in his lecture 'Symbolform und Wirklichkeit in den Bildern von Bô Yin Râ' (Symbol Form and Reality in the Paintings of Bô Yin Râ), hypothesizes that Weihenacht is unique in belonging to both secular and spiritual realms. This assumption is supported by the signature in the form of a pentagon, which integrates the initials of both the spiritual and civil names of the artist and is otherwise found only on spiritual paintings.

* The word Weihenacht is referring to Christmas (Weihnacht) and may also be read as 'Night of Consecration', the word 'Weihe' means consecration in German.



All paintings shown here can be ordered as fine art prints at the Publishing House Magische Blätter.

CALL

Some paintings are known, but their titles remain uncertain or unknown. Other images are of lower quality. Additional works are in private hands or have been lost; some owners are unaware of their significance, while others understandably prefer to remain anonymous due to the uniqueness of their works. Especially in regard to existing and potentially resurfacing spiritual paintings, it is desirable to make them accessible to a broader audience for meditative contemplation.

After some preparatory work, the Foundation has initiated the creation of an artwork archive and Catalogue Raisonné by securing the paintings presented here. This involved testing a process chain, including professional transport, restoration, digitization, and printing, which has proven effective and could be repeated in the near future.

The time is right, and we welcome any painting owner who seizes the opportunity to enable digital preservation of their artwork, ensuring its preservation for current and future generations. We also appreciate anyone who informs painting owners of this initiative, as well as any tips regarding artwork appearing in the art market.

Contact us, if you are interested in supporting the artwork archive or have further questions. Your anonymity is assured, and all correspondence will remain confidential.

Lastly, for those who care about the painter's work but do not have access to an original painting, there is an easy way to support the preservation of these artworks and the completion of the Catalogue Raisonné: the digitization and publication process is only possible through donations. If you would like to bring joy to yourself and other readers in this way, please visit Support of our Foundation.