Frieda Harris

Frieda Harris ( * 1877 in London, † 11 May 1962 Srinagar, India) was an English politician and wife of late companion of the occultist Aleister Crowley. Notoriety she gained through the design of the Crowley - Tarot.

Life

Frieda Harris was born in 1877 in London as the daughter of a surgeon. Her birth name was Marguerite Frieda Bloxam.

1901 she married Percey Alfred Harris, a liberal politician. Through its Adelung to Sir it was now called, Lady Harris, but preferred the proper name Lady Frieda Harris. The couple had two sons.

In 1937 she met Aleister Crowley, with whom she worked until his death in 1947.

After the death of her husband in 1952 Frieda Harris lived in India.

Crowley Tarot

1939 began working with Aleister Crowley on the redesign of the 78 Tarot cards, in which Crowley's entire magical ideas should reflect. The work on these cards was originally only last three months but actually took five years. The original painting of the cards are now in London's Warburg Institute, part of the University Library.

This tarot deck published in 1944 in a limited edition of 200 copies. Although Frieda Harris was an artist sole owner of the copyright, Crowley captured the revenue from the sale of the cards. It was not until 1969, after the death of Frieda Harris and Aleister Crowley, the tarot deck, together with accompanying book The Book of Thoth was reissued.

Works

• Aleister Crowley ( Author), Frieda Harris ( Illustrator ): The Book of Toth, A Short Essay on the Tarot of the Egyptians, Being the Equinox, Volume III, no. 5: Egyptian Tarot. Weiser Books, York Beach ME 2000, ISBN 0-87728-268-4. ( First edition 1944, new edition 1969)
• Aleister Crowley, Frieda Harris: Aleister Crowley Thoth Tarot standard. King -Urania, Krummwisch 2008, ISBN 3-86826-504- X.