The time around November 21 contains the tail-end, and what some say are the most potent, degrees of Sun in Scorpio. 21 November, in particlular, has brought forth some memorable figures from the past. Arty Farty Friday subject for today was going to be one of them: René Magritte, born 21 November 1898 (see
his natal chart at astro.com). After carefully preparing a draft on Word Pad, I inadvertently deleted it. I refused, on principle of my own stupidity, to re-do it. I'm afraid, this time, the video showing some of the Belgian surrealist painter's work must suffice.
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| René Magritte at work |
Magritte was part of the generation 1898-1904 labelled by E. Alan Meece as "The Flaming Wits". They had Uranus in Sagittarius opposite Pluto in Gemini. Uranus in Sagittarius does, indeed, describe the very meaning of surreal - something over and above the real, the extra- ordinary. Sagittarius = excess, more than; Uranus = the unexpected, eccentricity.
There's an archived post of mine,
Surrealism, Abstract Art and Astrology mentioning Magritte. I'm also pretty sure I originally did a full post on Magritte early on in my blogging days, but must have deleted it as part of a "purge" some time later, due to copyright fears.
For a good read about Magritte's life and work I highly recommend the biography at Matteson Art website:
René Magritte: This is Not A Biography.
A woman, Hetty Green, born on 21 November 1834, some 64 years earlier than Magritte, became known as "The Witch of Wall Street". She was the first woman to create her own huge stash of wealth. In today's terms it amounted to something in the region of $3.8 billion! She was said to be a legend in her miserliness. (
See piece at mentalfloss)
"There was an old woman often seen plodding up and down Wall Street at the turn of the 20th century. She walked alone. Her black, faded dress was dirty and ragged at the seams. She carried a case with her with a pitiful lunch tossed inside, usually graham crackers or dry oatmeal. She was such a familiar sight, with her grim face and strange dress, everyone called her “The Witch of Wall Street..................”
In 1834 Uranus was in Aquarius at around 22 degrees, Neptune in Capricorn around 29 degrees... two generational planets both in signs traditionally ruled by Saturn - if there's a miser among the planets, Saturn is it! Hetty's natal chart is available at
Astrotheme HERE.
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| Coleman Hawkins & Miles Davis |
Last of my chosen 21 November trio is a favourite of my husband: Coleman Hawkins, born 21 November 1904, which makes him another of the "Flaming Wit" group, with Magritte. Coleman Hawkins' wit came via drawing new qualities of sound from the tenor saxophone. Along with jazz luminaries such as Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington (two more of the "Flaming Wit" generation), Hawkins was one of the pioneer shapers of Jazz. His natal chart is at
at Astrotheme.
More on Coleman Hawkins from two of my own archived posts:
Arty Farty Friday #5 from 2007
and
Greatest Sax Voices in Jazz from 2011.
15 comments:
The end of the 1800s into the beginning of the 1900s were very impacting to societal changes. The British House of Commons was established and the USA saw the massive increase toward urbanization, women's suffrage, and labor organizations. The turn of the century had Pluto and Neptune in Gemini with most of the slower planets clustered in opposition.
Hetty Green got a bad rap, I suspect. The available information about her is unfavorable, so maybe she was a creepy person. She has Mars right on her ascendant giving her the gonads, Neptune on the descendant to offer misrepresentation of relationships, and Pluto at the midheaven to provide a nasty reputation to the world. Her prominently placed Mars and Pluto ruled her Sun, so her outer expression of herself must have appeared severe (like her actual appearance!). Mars, Pluto, and Sun in Scorpio is appropriate for all of the money she inherited. Was she the original Queen of Mean, whose role was reprised by Leona Helmsley?
She does look a bit spooky:) gosh, I hope that photo does'nt represent her Happy face lol.. Something tells me she felt very misunderstood early on and decided to manifest into her physical reality how she felt from the snide, uncaring remarks she received..
what I mean is- folks made snide comments about her appearance and she thought to herself- "I'll show you just how creepy, creepy can be" and then proceeded to do so. At least she could achieve one her wishes, which was to be Left Alone and her privacy not intruded on. Then add to that as time went on the fear of someone trying to charm her out of her money.
where all that came from, I dunno:) just the feeling I got looking at her photo.
mike ~ I've often thought that the Pluto in Gemini people had...I dunno - a little something extra going on.
The turn of the century era was one of the most interesting, and change-laden of all (apart from our own).
The thing about Hetty Green that puzzles me most is her miserliness.
She didn't come from a poor background, if she had I could understand her frugality. Her family owned a whaling fleet, she inherited millions of dollars.
the name Leona Helmsley didn't ring a bell, but I looked at her Wiki page. I see what you mean, but even she wasn't a miser in the same way Hetty was.
I suppose the accumulation of money, for its own sake, is just another addiction. There seems no sense or reason in acquiring great wealth and doing nothing with it, all the while while going to the other extreme of frugality in one's own life. Very puzzling!
Sonny ~ Another take on Hetty - thank you! You could be right - still it's no cause for her extreme miserliness.
mike & Sonny ~ I've looked up frugality/miserliness in CEO Carter's Encyclopedia of Psychological Astrology, where index advises "see Averice", which I did.
Carter says, among other things, in a longish assessment, that a form of extreme acquisitiveness is indicated by a combination of Cancer-Saturn-2nd house influences of an inharmonious nature. He explains why. He also says, The anxious and timid lunar element urges on the Saturnian to provide for its safety, and so, in extreme cases, miserliness results.
This may not fit Hetty exactly, re 2nd house, but her Cancer ascendant square Saturn might be significant.
Sonny - LOL!
Twilight - No doubt she was a miser by anyone's standards. I've fantasized that if I should ever become rich, I'd live an ascetic life, as I'm living one now. Would I cave under the pressure of great fortune and indulge my material whims? It's said that she left no personal correspondence that would give us a peak at her personality, so we are left with anecdotal evidence, which is observational at best, fabrication at worst. I did like one line I read about her that stated she was a true, up-right investor, and not a manipulator like so many of her rich and famous male peers of that time...she played a fair game and she was out to win. Another stated that her austere appearance and demeanor was intended to counteract any perception of femininity by male colleagues. I can't find any indication that she was a curmudgeon or sourpuss or baby-eater...LOL.
There are many ways to invest an inheritance:
"After her husband's death in 1881, Sarah Winchester inherited more than $20.5 million. She also received nearly fifty percent ownership of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, giving her an income of roughly $1,000 per day, equivalent to about $30,000 a day in 2012. These inheritances gave her a tremendous amount of wealth which she used to fund the ongoing construction."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Mystery_House
I've always been a bit frightened of Scorpios.
Actually, had an astrological experience today which set me back. Hmmmmm, maybe this requires further investigation.
mike ~ Oh, go on, dream of indulging your material whims! It's fun! ;-)
I agree that due to the lack of reliable information on Hetty, using what little there is could be misleading and somewhat unfair to her.
Still, as one who would definitely indulge her material whims if suddenly ultra-wealthy, I cannot understand her extreme miserliness (if, indeed, it was a fact).
James Higham ~ I'm wary of them in real life myself. But then I'm also wary of conservative Aquarius-types (online) too...LOL (no names no pack-drill, fellow Water Carrier.
woohoo we have a new :to me: commentor.
Hi James=welcome. come back often, Annie has a great post everyday.
oh mercy Leona...now there was a piece of work lol.
it was her way or the highway but at least she was upfront about that. no sneaky tactics where that was concerned..
Mean yes but honest about it. The sneaky meanies are the ones who bother me.
ps- Mike did I miss your Birthday?? you said it was a few weeks before mine.. so, when is it.. I'll bring cake:)
Aquarius water types? Try this:
http://www.nourishingobscurity.com/2014/11/might-something-astrology-stuff/
:)
[Always something interesting at your place too.]
Sonny G - thanks.
James Higham ~ I have just left you a comment there. :-)
Good on ya for bravely posting on a topic most of your readers will not appreciate. :-)
PS what do you mean by "water types"? Aquarius is an Air sign.
A word about Coleman Hawkins. This musician established musical standards across a wide span of musical taste. He began in the 20's with "Hot" jazz recordings, then the swing era with Fletcher Henderson. He toured Europe and led groups of his own. Then he appears on some the earliest Bebop recordings with Dizzy Gillespie and then Miles Davis. He even put his mark on some recordings with Thelonious Monk, and that's a far reach from the "hot" jazz of the 20's.
He didn't just fit in, he set the sails and the course.
anyjazz ~ Thanks for your well-informed input on Coleman Hawkins.
The saxophone has my favourite sound when played to my taste (ahem!) You've taught me to recognise Hawkins by the
"twiddly, twirlies" with which he decorates his playing. So now I can recognise Hawkins, and Ben Webster
within seconds - oh, and Stan Getz as long as he's playing Brazilian. :-)
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