Goethe and Leonardo Da Vinci's Symbolism

Goethe was another artist who incorporated symbolism of the number 12 and its harmonious synthesis into his work. As discussed by Rudolf Steiner in The Christian Mystery, Goethe's The Secrets, a relatively unknown poem mysteries fragment alluding to esoteric secrets, where he speaks of a pilgrim called Mark who comes across an isolated house with twelve seekers with a thirteenth who has passed through numerous obstacles, has spiritually progressed and is now dying and is giving a great gift to the twelve. Goethe refers to the thirteenth through:

Man needs to overcome and free himself
Of the great power building all creation

This Rudolf Steiner interprets as the process of developing the higher human being. It is this process of learning to tap into the power of creation, understand it, and our own true relation to it and our own inner nature which is the process of Goethian science, as presented in Goethe: Humanities 202: The Hidden Wisdom of Goethe. Additionally, in his poem, Goethe portrays each of the twelve having something unique to contribute to the whole.

This process of becoming the higher human being is also implicit in Leonardo Da Vinci's The Last Supper. Each disciple represents a particular quality to be developed, needing to be integrated harmoniously within the whole. As with all great symbols, The Last Supper isn't just about a historic event, but about an inner archetypal process of personal alchemy, transformation, and personal development and growth that all of us can (and are) participating in.

In Leonardo: The Turning Point in Art, Humanities Course 201, the student actively works with this complex and profound symbol of The Last Supper, exploring the unique contribution that Leonardo Da Vinci brought to this ancient Christian Symbol. Click here to find out how The Last Supper may relate to The Holy Grail.

Facts about Leonardo Da Vinci, click here.

Leonardo Da Vinci's childhood biography, click here.

Leonardo: The Turning Point, Humanities 201 Course, click here for more information.

Goethe: The Hidden Wisdom of Goethe, Humanities 202 Course, click here for more information.