Jesse Bransford's Image Archive

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2010-08-03T08:53:00.002-04:00

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Galaxy Class Subspace Field Geometry

2009-05-10T18:26:00.004-04:00

Subspace field geometry generated by a Galaxy class vessel at warp. This field expands and changes according to the power expenditure and (presumably) warp factor (how fast the ship is going relative to the speed of light). This geometry would theoretically account for the reduced y-axis form factor of ships since the advent of warp technology. From the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, by Rick Sternbach and Michael Okuda, 1991.

Galaxy Class Vessel (Forward Dorsal View)

2009-05-05T18:16:00.001-04:00

The forward dorsal perspective view of a Galaxy Class vessel (24th century). From the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, by Rick Sternbach and Michael Okuda, 1991.

Valor Class Strike Class Cruiser (23rd Century)

2009-04-28T18:05:00.003-04:00

The Mark 22-B Valor Class Strike Cruiser, from the late 23rd Century (TOS). From David John Schmidt's Star Fleet Dynamics, 2293.

23rd Century Shuttlecraft (Star Trek Universe)

2009-04-21T18:00:00.003-04:00

Putting the occult aside for a few (well, perhaps just trading one version of occult knowledge with another), here is a shuttle craft from Star Trek, the original series (that's TOS in treknologist parlance). From Franz Joseph's Star Fleet Technical Manual, 1975.

Tree of Life With the Sword of the Path

2009-04-18T20:36:00.005-04:00

The tree of life with the sword of the path, depicting the emanations in order from Kether to Malkuth. The color coding is shifted blue indicating a Lunar influence. From a hand made file.

Tree of Life With Astrological Correspondences

2009-04-07T20:31:00.003-04:00

The tree of life with each path's astrological correspondences, in this instance according to the Lurianic tradition. From a hand-made file.

Path/Letter Assignments (Crowley)

2009-04-03T12:25:00.003-04:00

The Tree of Life with the ten Sefirot and the 22 paths. Each path represents one of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This configuration of the paths is the one used predominantly in the literature of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Not surprising then that it was the configuration preferred by Aleister Crowley, whose system is here dictating the letter/path distribution. From a hand made file.

Lurianic Tree of Life

2009-03-23T09:25:00.002-04:00

The Tree of Life with the ten Sefirot and the 22 paths. Each path represents one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. There are many different representations of these paths and their connection to the Sefirot. This one was prominent in the work of Issac Luria and his disciples. From a hand made file.

Lunar Pentacle

2009-03-17T11:25:00.003-04:00

A pentacle for the divination of dreams. It is possible to commune with the departed by this method if desired. From Mather's translation of the Clavicula Salomonis.

Lunar Pentacle

2009-03-10T11:21:00.000-04:00

A particularly powerful pentacle, this protects the soul and body from all evil sorcery. The final line pointed to by the hand is the name of the angel Sophiel. When it's name is invoked in conjunction with this pentalcle it is said to give the user power and knowledge over herbs and stones. From Mather's translation of the Clavicula Salomonis.

Lunar Pentacle

2009-03-03T11:18:00.001-05:00

From Mather's translation of the Clavicula Salomonis. This pentacle is for travel and protects especially against watery misfortune. Note that here when we say watery, we mean both literal and occult possibilities (remembering that every thing and force has a correspondence to one of the four elements).

Lunar Pentacle

2009-02-24T11:15:00.001-05:00

This pentacle offers protection against water and watery spirits. From Mather's translation of the Clavicula Salomonis.

Malcha betharsithim hed beruah schehakim

2009-02-17T10:59:00.000-05:00

The intelligence of the intelligences of the moon, Malcha betharsithim hed beruah schehakim (3321). From Agrippa.

Schedbarschemoth

2009-02-10T10:56:00.001-05:00

The spirit of the spirits of the moon, Schedbarschemoth (3321). From Agrippa. Only the feminine planets have multiple ascriptions for spirits and/or intelligences.

Hasmodai

2009-02-03T10:53:00.000-05:00

The magical rune/mark of Hasmodai (369), the Spirit of the Moon. From Agrippa.

Lunar Square

2009-01-24T10:49:00.002-05:00

The magic square of Luna, represented in their Hebrew letter equivalencies. From Henry Cornelius Agrippa's Three Books of Occult Philosophy.

Hecate

2009-01-20T13:55:00.000-05:00

Queen of the underworld and patron of crossroads (and thieves and bandits, and well, things that go bump in the night), this representation of Hecate, called a hecterion, would be placed at important crossroads as guardians of the nearest cities from agents of evil. From an internet source.

The Seal of the Moon

2009-01-13T12:50:00.001-05:00

The seal of the moon from Henry Cornelius Agrippa's Three Books of Occult Philosophy.

Luna

2009-01-05T09:51:00.002-05:00

A representation of Luna, most likely from the late 17th or early 18th century, with several memory images arrayed about her. Seemingly the same, closer inspection reveals that in each memory image she is holding a different object, which in the art of memory would suggest a different aspect of the goddess. From an un-cited internet source.

A Conjurer's Mettle is Tested

2008-12-30T23:59:00.003-05:00

A conjurer and a host of spirits he has summoned. Note that he is inside the circle - the salamander that he seems frightened of is actually the elemental spirit (fire) protecting him from the debacle on the other side of the circle. Let's hope he doesn't totally loose his composure and step outside the circle! Un-cited, probably of 19th century origin, from the Esoteric Archives Website (www.esotericarchives.com).

Artemis

2008-12-23T23:50:00.000-05:00

A copy of a coin with a bust of the godess Artemis, from an internet source.

Light and Darkness

2008-12-15T12:15:00.003-05:00

The four elements and a relation of light and darkness depicted through a representation of the tetragrammaton. Reproduced from an unnamed text by Robert Fludd. From a Czech picture book called Hermetismu, Trigon Press.

The Moon

2008-12-09T15:28:00.002-05:00

One of Giovanni Domenico Cassini's drawings of the topography of the moon, most likely drawn in the early 18th century. From an internet source.

From Symbola Aureae Mensae

2008-12-02T09:43:00.002-05:00

An emblem from Michael Maier's Symbola Aureae Mensae. An accompanying epigram reads:

"His connection consists of Sol as Father, the white Moon as Mother, to which, as the third one, fire is added as a governor."

Mansions of the Moon

2008-11-25T16:00:00.001-05:00

An image showing two astronomers/astrologers staring in wonder at the secret meaning they have found by observing the position and phases of the moon, commonly referred to as the lunar mansions. this image comes from the dust jacket of Volume II of the Picatrix, recently published by Oroboros Press (http://www.bibliomancer.blogspot.com/), who make some of the most beautifully bound and researched esoteric texts.

Solar Eclipse

2008-11-17T09:57:00.003-05:00

Diagram marking the visibility of a solar eclipse over Africa and Europe that occurred on October 3, 2005. From an internet source.

Drawing of the Moon

2008-11-10T10:39:00.002-05:00

"One of the earliest topographic views of the moon, from Johann Hevelius' Selenographia, Danzig, 1647." From The Lore and Lure of Outer Space by Ernst and Johanna Lehner, 1964.

Conjurers and a Spirit

2008-11-04T08:08:00.003-05:00

A pair of conjurers and a spirit they have summoned. Un-cited, probably of 19th century origin, from the Esoteric Archives Website (www.esotericarchives.com).

Chandra

2008-10-28T10:03:00.002-04:00

The Hindu god of the moon Chandra, lord of vegetation and vegetative propagation. From an internet source, srevidya.org.

Anaxagoras

2008-10-20T19:04:00.004-04:00

A bust of the presocratic philosopher Anaxagoras, presented here for his recognition that the light of the moon is in fact a reflection of the light of the sun. Apparently from a book that was printed before 1840 (a Latin edition of Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers or De vita et moribus philosophorum by Diogenes Laërtius). My Latin is OK, but this is truncated: I believe that Clasom Phil Anaxagoras translates as Anaxagoras, Philosopher from Clazomenae. Corrections would be posted...

Seal of Gabriel

2008-10-14T12:41:00.002-04:00

The seal of Gabriel, one of the angelic hosts associated with the moon.

Artemis

2008-10-06T11:37:00.003-04:00

Though originally unaffiliated with the moon, as the twin sister of Apollo, the link was made to Artemis nonetheless. Eventually merging with images of the Roman goddess Diana, the link was then complete. From an internet source of a Dover archive.

Luna

2008-10-01T10:25:00.002-04:00

An emblem of the moon, Luna, from the Poeticon Astronomicon, Venice 1482. Note Cancer, the crab in the chariot wheel, over whom Luna has dominion.

Lucifer

2008-09-23T08:28:00.003-04:00

The fallen bringer of light in one of his more gruesome aspects. Note the crown of the seven-headed beast of the apocalypse. The tongs are instruments of torture used for flaying. From a 17th century woodcut, from a Dover pictorial archive.

An Alchemical Grave

2008-09-17T12:09:00.003-04:00

From Putrefication to Calcination. Allegorical representation of a part of the alchemical process of transformation. Petrus Bonus, 1546.

Dharmachakra

2008-09-08T10:18:00.003-04:00

The Dharmachakra, or wheel of the law. A Buddhist emblem, it's origins are in the Hindi tradition. Similar in content to the wheel of fortune, it's subtler meanings contain meditations on spiritual growth and transformation. From a Dover Pictorial Archive source.

Humanoid-headed Dragon

2008-09-04T20:18:00.002-04:00

Looking a bit like a chicken, this human-headed dragon most likely comes from the marginalia illustrations of a European source. From a Dover archive.

Snakes Intertwined

2008-08-25T20:18:00.004-04:00

These intertwined snakes function symbolically on many levels. As pagan images they represent generative forces commingling, the male/phallic image becoming a rotating disc suggesting the feminine principle. The nod to the swastika these shapes tend to invoke preserves the solar/male context of the generative forces. They can also function as a gnostic symbol of the knowledge of good and evil. From an unattributed Dover source.

6 + 5 = (10) 11

2008-08-19T10:33:00.003-04:00

A unicursal hexagram inscribed upon a pentacle. Surprisingly resolved geometrically. Hand Drawn.

Tetragrammaton

2008-08-11T16:36:00.002-04:00

Continuing with the occult bent I've been keeping for the past few weeks, here is the Tetragrammaton, one of the sacred names of G*D as derived in the mystical discipline of the Kabbalah. Here displayed in reference to the Pythagorean triangle (also sacred), the image was first deployed by Christian hermetic scholars/mages looking to unify the rhetorics of the world religions. Hand mande from internet sources.

Every Man and Woman is A Star

2008-08-04T12:19:00.003-04:00

A configuration of the Hieroglyphic Monad and the hexagonal glyph representing the universe. Hand drawn.

Pentacle of the Elements

2008-07-28T11:19:00.003-04:00

A pentacle depicting the relation of the four western elements, with spirit added as the binding agent. Hand-drawn based on sources.

The Tree of Life

2008-07-21T14:45:00.002-04:00

The Qabala's instantly recognizable Tree of Life, with planetary and tarot associations from the Thoth tarot system added. From Lon Milo DuQuette's exegesis on the Thoth Tarot.

Run Rabbit Run!

2008-07-16T11:10:00.001-04:00

A Medieval woodcut of a hare. From a Dover pictorial archive.

The Rose Cross of the Golden Dawn

2008-07-06T18:39:00.002-04:00

The Rose Cross, the central motif in the rituals and symbolism of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Among other things a representation of the Tarot, the symbolism of this image is as dense as anything I have ever encountered. From a painting by Steffi Grant as reproduced in Art and Symbols of the Occult, 1993.

Acéphale

2008-07-03T23:43:00.003-04:00

Andre Masson's infamous acéphale, the body without a head, an illustration he made for George Bataille's magazine of the same name.

A Necromancer

2008-06-25T09:41:00.004-04:00

Image of a necromancer from an unidentified historical source (probably French). A classic representation of a necromancer performing an invocation ritual. Note the closed circle with the markings as well as the seal of protection (in this case a cross on a shield at his breast) and a sword or long athame held in the right hand. The curious question about this image for me is the nature of the monk outside of the circle. He seems to be observing the necromancer from a pious distance (a completely differentiated space actually), but he could also be the subject of the invocation, manifesting in one of their many guises and emerging from the other space that these spirits and/or intelligences are said to inhabit.

Seal of Astaroth

2008-06-16T10:31:00.002-04:00

The seal of Astaroth, an often invoked (both literally and metaphorically) higher demon. Referenced in the Bible, he figures more prominently in works like Francis Barrett's The Magus and Cornelius Agrippa's Three Books of Occult Philosophy. Extremely malignant, he is according to the texts relatively easy to control via ritual invocation. This contemporary version of the seal comes from Wikipedia.

From the Kelmscott Chaucer

2008-06-09T10:25:00.005-04:00

Illustration by Edward Burne-Jones from William Morris's Kelmscott Press masterwork The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, 1891.

The Lamb of God

2007-04-04T09:07:00.000-04:00

The Lamb of God as it appeared to St. John in the Book of Revelations. From a woodcut by Albrecht Dürer.

Seal of Mercury

2007-03-13T17:13:00.000-04:00

A magical seal of the planet Mercury.

Seal of Venus

2007-03-12T17:12:00.000-04:00

A magical seal of the planet Venus.

Seal of Mars

2007-03-11T17:10:00.000-04:00

A magical seal of the planet Mars.

Seal of Saturn

2007-03-10T16:09:00.000-05:00

A magical seal of the planet Saturn.

Seal of Jupiter

2007-03-09T16:08:00.000-05:00

A magical seal of the planet Jupiter.

Seal of the Moon

2007-03-08T16:07:00.000-05:00

A magical seal of the Moon.

Seal of The Sun

2007-03-07T16:06:00.000-05:00

A magical seal of the Sun.

The Danse Macabre

2007-03-06T10:59:00.000-05:00

An orchestra of the dead waking their companions to perform a danse macabre.

Medieval Diagram of Vision

2007-03-05T10:13:00.000-05:00

A diagram of vision from the middle ages.

Dream Machine Template

2007-03-04T12:02:00.000-05:00

Schematic of the William Burroughs/ Bryon Gysin Dream Machine, a spinning cylindrical object that when looked at for long periods of time through closed eyes causes visions.

Fanciful Idea of Flight

2007-03-03T10:59:00.000-05:00

A pre-aeronautical vision of flight.

B.Ö.C. Tyrrany and Mutation Tower

2007-03-02T11:42:00.000-05:00

A variation on the Gawlick illustration for the Blue Öyster Cult's second album Tyranny and Mutation.

Tetrahedron In Four Dimensions

2007-03-01T21:54:00.000-05:00

A tetrahedron with each intersection extruded, with its fourth dimension counterpart mapped into the space. A conjecture rather than a mathematical fact.

A Unicorn

2007-02-28T10:02:00.000-05:00

A historical representation of a unicorn. From a Dover Archive source.

A Mind Flayer

2007-02-27T09:26:00.000-05:00

A Mind Flayer, a psionically powerful (and Lovecraftian, no?) monster from the world of D&D. From the AD&D Monster Manual.

Fiat (Lux)

2007-02-26T21:09:00.000-05:00

An illustration from a text by occultist Robert Fludd with the word "Fiat" presumably on the way to becoming "Fiat Lux" when the circle is completed by the bird of the annunciation.

Corrision of Conformity

2007-02-25T20:45:00.000-05:00

The C.O.C. Skull, the logo for the 80's hardcore/thrash band Corrosion of Conformity. The album 'Animosity' remains an unparalleled classic even today.

Islamic Pattern

2007-02-24T09:40:00.000-05:00

An Islamic radial pattern, rather uncommon for it's representational motifs. From a Dover image book.

Altar for the 3rd Degree

2007-02-23T10:46:00.000-05:00

An image of a masonic altar, this one for initiates of the 3rd degree, which it is said involves a ceremonial 'death' (hence the usage 'to give someone the 3rd degree'). From Duncan's Ritual Handbook of Freemasonry.

Zeus

2007-02-20T09:06:00.000-05:00

An image of the Greek god Zeus copied from a terracotta source.

Invocation Gate from the Necronomicon

2007-02-19T11:03:00.000-05:00

Identified as The Gate of Nanna, Called Sin, this image comes from The Book of Entrance in the famous apocryphal text, the Necronomicon. Often refered to in the work of H. P. Lovecraft, this particular edition (published as a mass market paper back!) clearly appeared after the death of Lovecraft.

Gibbering Mouther

2007-02-18T10:51:00.000-05:00

The Gibbering Mouther, one of the more heinous monsters to appear in the AD&D Monster Manual II.

Constitution Class Cruiser

2007-02-17T11:28:00.000-05:00

A highly detailed 3/4 view of a Constitution class vessel from the Star Trek Universe. Note the variation from the Enterprise of film in the nacelle shape and the photon torpedo banks. This illustration is labeled Constitution II class. From Ships of the Star Fleet by Calon Riel.

Alchemical Fountain

2007-02-16T10:14:00.000-05:00

The cloistered mineral fountain, an image intimately related to the myth of the fountain of youth. Images like these were used to describe relations of quantity and proportion, as well as reciprocity. I have also seen colored images like this that discuss color relation as well.

Sybil

2007-02-15T09:39:00.000-05:00

Sybil, from Johann Lichtenberger's Prognosticatio, Printed in Venice, 1511.

The Apollo Modules

2007-02-14T16:59:00.000-05:00

The Apollo modules as they sat in the Saturn V rocket prior to their re-orientation once they were in Earth orbit. From a NASA archive site.

Thor

2007-02-13T11:10:00.000-05:00

The Norse God Thor, who is astrologically associated with the planet Mars.

Memory Image of Mars

2007-02-12T09:14:00.000-05:00

'An allegorical representation of Mars, engraved by Bernard Mahler from Hygenius' Poeticon Astronomicon, printed by Erhard Ratdolt, Venice 1482.'

Mariner 10

2007-02-11T10:06:00.000-05:00

A schematic of the Mariner 10 space probe, which did photo and other surveys of Mercury and Venus.

A Diamond Crystal

2007-02-10T09:54:00.000-05:00

A simplified diagram of the crystal structure of a diamond.

Sun Altar

2007-02-09T10:03:00.000-05:00

Myan carving of an altar to the sun. Note that the priests are feeding the altar strange spirits/creatures.

The Yamoto

2007-02-08T10:12:00.000-05:00

The spaceship Yamoto from the classic manga Starblazers.

The Pallas Athena

2007-02-07T10:15:00.000-05:00

The Pallas Athena, an avatar of Athena as the city protector.

Medieval Fort

2007-02-06T10:09:00.000-05:00

A medieval fort from a 17th century German source. Note the torqued space in the attempt to make convincing perspective. This image was probably a marginalia illustration for a treatise on the art of war (I say probably as the image is unattributed in its source).

Skeleton Warrior

2007-02-05T10:26:00.000-05:00

Keeping to the D&D grimoires for a few days now, this skeleton warrior comes from the UK monster manual The Fiend Folio. There seems to be something similar to the space suit from 2001 (see earlier post).

Kuan Yen

2007-02-04T13:05:00.000-05:00

The Chinese fertility goddess Kuan Yen. She is also a guardian of travelers and a messenger of peace. From the controversial D&D manual "Deities and Demigods".

Fludd's Sanguine Moment in Creation

2007-02-03T00:11:00.000-05:00

Fire and blood clot in one of Robert Fludd's illustrations of the creation of the cosmos.

Einstein Rosen Bridge

2007-02-02T08:24:00.000-05:00

A 'classic' representation of an Einstein Rosen Bridge, a singularity or black hole that connects two points in space (or potentially two dimensions).

2001 Space Suit

2007-02-01T08:53:00.000-05:00

An illustration of the spacesuit from 2001: A Space Odyssey. For some reason this suit is instantly recognizable to most people even remotely familiar with science fiction.

A Beehive

2007-01-30T10:42:00.000-05:00

A beehive from a medieval source. Used in allegory as an image of industry.

Sebek The Destroyer

2007-01-28T09:53:00.000-05:00

Sebek, one of the crocodile deities of Egypt. A solar god, his is the power of blight and incineration.

A Vision of Babylon

2007-01-27T10:12:00.000-05:00

A vision of Babylon in ruins from "The Nuremburg Chronicle". Late 16th century.

German Auto da Fe

2007-01-26T10:38:00.000-05:00

Woodcut of an Auto da Fe in Germany, including a devil coming to taunt/take the burning witch away. These accounts (of devils at burnings) have been explained as follows: the entrails of the victim as the fire burns through the muscles of the chest can sometimes eject violently from the chest cavity as the fire engulfs the victim. In the smoke and visual confusion of the flames (as well as little or no understanding of bodies) this phenomena could be mistaken for a monster moving away from the body.

Funerary Vultures

2007-01-25T18:46:00.000-05:00

Egyptian funerary vultures. I'm of the mind that these are Hellenic era given what appear to be the omega-like symbols in each bird's talons.

Wolf In Sheep's Clothing

2007-01-23T11:20:00.000-05:00

The Wolf In Sheep's Clothing, from the 1980 D&D module Expedition to the Barrier Peaks.

'Classic' UFO Profile

2007-01-22T18:47:00.000-05:00

A classic UFO profile, this from "Man Made UFOs" by David Hatcher Childress. This book proceeds from the (not entirely insane) premise that the UFO scares from the 40s through the 90s were motivated in part by Nazi and later NATO elaborations upon Nazi attempts to create 'better' military flying machines.

An 'Arabic Astronomer' by Dürer

2007-01-21T10:39:00.000-05:00

An Arabic astronomer by Dürer, Nuremberg, 1504.

Automated Chain Cannon

2007-01-21T10:34:00.000-05:00

A British automated chain cannon, with the radar tracking unit exposed. This would be mounted on a naval vessel, most likely a destroyer.

Ra and Re

2007-01-15T11:52:00.000-05:00

Egyptian solar dieties Ra and Re.