The ‘old woman’ with her predator's claws and mysterious animal eyes. In dreams she threatened the artist’s life, but also appeared as the guardian of undiscovered treasures.

She is the ‘Great Mother’ who can paralyse those who desire to regress to her, but who also possesses the age-old secrets of the instincts and nature.

Her negative aspect is a reflection of a negative attitude towards her. This gives her the expectant, watchful look, as if acceptance of her would reveal quite a different side. Then she could become, like the Egyptian cat goddess Bastet, a bringer of joy and vitality.

This was one of Jung’s favourite paintings, and it hung in his consulting room.

In later dreams she also appeared as a murderous praying mantis.

SOURCE: Light from the Darkness: the Paintings of Peter Birkhauser, (1980), p.32-3; commentary by his therapist, Marie-Louise von Franz.

EDITOR'S NOTE

Several pages were stolen from my library's copy of Light from the Darkness; I was forced to substitute online photos of these works with questionable proportions, cropping, contrast and color balance. I've done my best to correct them.

--Chris Wayan--

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