Elisabeth de Bruyne: An Introduction to the Artist, Her Books, and a “High” School of Painting

by Pamela Sophiajohn

The first time I saw “Fragrant Rose” (at center), I immediately heard these words from Rudolf Steiner in my inner ear: “More radiant than the sun, purer than the snow, finer than the ether...” At that time, the online photo of the painting did not have a title, and Elisabeth de Bruyne was not credited as the artist. Also, I had no artistic practice or knowledge of anthroposophical arts. However, I recognized one profound connection between Steiner’s poetic words and Elisabeth’s painting: both lifted my soul toward the spiritual. Steiner’s words pointed me toward the ineffable experience of The Spirit within – our True Self. Elisabeth’s painting evoked a threshold-feeling with a rose and its essence emerging out of the invisible. Although all art indeed holds meaning, I later came to understand that this inner soul movement towards the threshold of the spirit is a defining element of true art, as described in Rudolf Steiner’s The Arts and Their Mission (GA 276) and, more recently, the books of Elisabeth de Bruyne, which are listed at the end of this article.

side of painting taught by d’Herbois (in contrast to the therapeutic side).

Margaretha Hauschka, who researched the therapeutic nature of colour with Dr. Ita Wegman and Liane Collot d’Herbois in the 1940s, called the “Collot” approach a “high” school of painting, which is sometimes referred to as a “School of High Art.” For those who seek to study this high school of Light-Darkness Painting, Elisabeth’s books provide essential instruction and insight into colour and colour movements. Equally important, her books reveal some of the challenges and turning points in her journey towards making this art of painting her own and how she developed it further. For this article, three key topics are highlighted to demonstrate how her books can support artists interested in this school of painting.

I. Correcting Exercises Mistakenly Described in Light, Darkness and Colour in PaintingTherapy

Elisabeth de Bruyne’s books are devoted to the art of “Light-Darkness Painting” developed by Liane Collot d’Herbois, also known as the “Collot Method of Painting.” Born in 1938, Elisabeth was one of the first painters to study with d’Herbois, and she also became one of the first in 1993 to start a school devoted to this new approach to painting, an initiative begun upon the wish of her teacher. To the best of her knowledge, Elisabeth is the only person to have a school devoted to the artistic

Although Light, Darkness and Colour in Painting-Therapy was published under the name of Liane Collot d’Herbois in 1988, she did not actually write or edit it. Instead, Margreet Meijer independently produced the book from lecture recordings and personal notes she took from the class she attended. Unfortunately, d’Herbois found many exercises confusing, primarily because they do not accurately reflect the laws of light and darkness and the colour movements. Elisabeth wrote Exercises for the Painting of the Colour-Movements After Liane Collot d’Herbois to correct these mistakes and support the integrity of this school. In her own words, “It is very important that the exercises of Liane Collot d’Herbois are rescued from error, for they provide artistic and therapeutic knowledge given from the spiritual world to aid humanity.”

II. Clarifying the Role of Thinking & The Anthroposophical Foundations in Light-Darkness Painting

Developed by Liane Collot d’Herbois with guidance from Rudolf Steiner, Light-Darkness Painting is deeply rooted in anthroposophy, or as Elisabeth de Bruyne describes, “Without Anthroposophy, this approach to painting would not be possible.” Perhaps the strongest example of this is how her books teach Light-Darkness Painting as a meditative process built upon the principles taught by Steiner in How to Know Higher Worlds. This contemplative approach to painting, of course, does not replace the importance of an actual meditation practice. However, when Light-Darkness Painting is exercised with patience and devotion, it becomes a spiritual practice within a school of art that can strengthen one’s soul development and open one’s inner eyes.

The role of clear, conscious thinking is also emphasized in Elisabeth’s books, as it is throughout the whole of Anthroposophy. Here is a quote from Elisabeth for this article that provides a concise introduction: “What does it mean that in this art of painting one must think? It does not mean that one must only paint from thinking. Art takes place on the level of feeling. So, feeling and thinking both take part in the art of light-darkness painting...Rudolf Steiner pointed to the possibility of involving Goethe’s theory of colour in painting. Here one can recognize how the colours, seen within a prism, appear through the interaction of light and darkness. This takes place after set laws. This is the scientific aspect of colours. To apply this scientific aspect of colour, one must think. However, light-darkness painting is not possible only through this scientific thinking, for Goethe’s Theory of Colour is based on static laws. In contrast, light-darkness painting is based on the movement of colour, which one experiences through meditating on the colours and anthroposophy. Rudolf Steiner had intended to speak about this in a seminar for painters, but due to illness and his death, it did not take place.” All of Elisabeth’s books include information about the nature of thinking and colour movement. However, Exercises for the Painting of the Colour-Movements After Liane Collot d’Herbois and Light and Darkness in the Art of Painting have the most content.

III. Providing Examples of an Artist as a Co-Creator

A new impulse for the arts began to unfold when Rudolf Steiner taught about the spiritual origin of the arts and their high mission.

Distinguishing itself from popular art, this impulse elevates the arts from an activity of self-expression into a conscious partnership with the spiritual world in the act of creation. Light-Darkness Painting is a school of art that carries this impulse forward, and Elisabeth de Bruyne, as her books reveal, is an example of the painter as a co-creator. She encourages artists to call upon and trust their angels and muses as they paint. She also describes the importance of working in harmony with the spiritual beings that live within each colour, including “Christ as The Lord of Colour.” (“Christ as The Lord of Colour” is an insight of Elisabeth’s described in Light and Darkness in the Art of Painting ).

However, to help artists with their most challenging of times, she allows us to know of moments when she has received help from across the threshold, as reflected in the following quote from Exercises for the Painting of Colour Movements: “After the death of Liane, my development in this [her] art of painting went on. When I am struggling, I direct my questions to the muse of this art of painting, to Rudolf Steiner, who also inspired Liane, and I receive many answers and insights. I know those answers and insights are not exclusively for me, so I include them in the following descriptions [and throughout my books].”

As a high school of art, Light-Darkness Painting is not easy, and ultimately, each painter must find their own relationship to it. However, to encourage others along this path, Elisabeth has allowed herself to be seen by standing up through her art and her books.

Currently, Elisabeth de Bruyne lives in Finland. Still active in her mid-80s, she teaches seven-day seminars on Light-Darkness Painting and colour movements through her traveling school, Wanderschule Turmalin. Over the past thirty years, she has been invited to teach in eleven countries, and her artwork includes five altar paintings for Christian Community Congregations in Northern and Eastern Europe.

©2024 SOPHIAJOHN. Written by Pamela Sophiajohn with editorial contributions from Marietta Yeager, OTR®, Art Therapist, and a Tobias School of Art & Therapy graduate. Pamela, a member of the Visual Arts Section of The School of Spiritual Science in North America, is a retired writer of nonprofit marketing and fundraising communications. Living in Dublin, Ohio, she has a painting practice and undertakes selected writing and artistic projects.

Liane Collot d’Herbois did not include the colour black in her method of painting. Therefore, it was a dramatic moment for Elisabeth when she inwardly saw a “special black“ to add to her paintings (as shown above). Light and Darkness in the Art of Painting includes the story of how Elisabeth worked over seven years to add this special black to her paintings.

BOOKS BY ELISABETH DE BRUYNE

Elisabeth’s books are available in English, German, and Dutch. They are printed with quality, have a simple but artistic touch, and are penned more like excerpts from a journal than a classroom textbook. Although her books are delicately written and not highly edited, there is a grace and enlivening breath behind her words that allows one to enter their meaning.

Light and Darkness in the Art of Painting ©2012

Exercises for the Painting of the Colour-Movements After Liane Collot d’Herbois ©2013, 2020

The Spiritual Significance of Colour for the Daily Life ©2014

The Spirituality of Light-Darkness Painting ©2021

To learn more or to place an order: www.lightdarknesspainting.net lightdarknesspainting@gmail.com