It has been decided to publicly release this colour image of DK, as it has already ‘leaked out’ onto the internet from sources to whom it was privately loaned. Originally, it was going to be published with permission, in an updated edition of Masters of the Seven Rays, now deferred to a later date. Hence, it was thought best to release a higher quality picture than that which is currently online, but more importantly, include some explanation about it. The DK picture is from one of five paintings made in the 1930’s. The original of this particular painting was in the possession of one of the principals of The School for Esoteric Studies in North Carolina, USA, and was passed on to the SES for safekeeping.

The SES has a particular lineage with two of its founders participating in some of DK’s experimental groups in the 1940’s, namely ‘RSU’ and ‘FCD’ – Regina Keller and Roberto Assagioli. These groups of aspirants and disciples are discussed in the two books, Discipleship in the New Age (Volumes I & II), by Alice A. Bailey.

The DK image was scanned from an original painting by the South African artist, Annie Gowland. Below is a description from the wife of one of Gowland’s students about the painting. My original concern for releasing this image on the internet was that it might be mis-used and create alot of unnecessary comment and fuss. (That still might be the case!)

The Tibetan Master, Djwhal Khul (D.K.)
(From a painting by Annie Gowland, 1931.)

(Occult rumour has it that DK said this image was a “reasonable likeness”.)

Notwithstanding, I feel it should be available to everybody, as an image of inspiration and veneration for those students of The Tibetan. It is not something that should be exclusive to a few, and indeed, its global release in colour may well be symbolic of the imminent reappearance of the Masters of Wisdom amongst Humanity again, as prophesied for the rapidly approaching year of 2025. (That’s just 11 years away!)
Also, it is worth bearing in mind, the subject of images and their illusory nature. The picture viewed here is from the period of the nineteenth to twentieth centuries when Djwhal Khul was incarnate in a Tibetan body and was the abbot of a certain Lamasery.

Who knows what body He inhabits now, or has appropriated as a “mayavirupa” (“body of illusion”)? Students need to be aware of the pitfalls in creating an ‘idol’ from the ‘idea’ of DK. (Not to mention cluttering up the astral plane with thoughtforms.)
Nevertheless, the image of The Tibetan, the body he inhabited at his Master’s Initiation (the 5th degree), is widely loved and most evocative of this Mahatma who so humbly stated, “had fought his way into a greater measure of light”.

As a “messenger of the Masters”, it was Djwhal Khul who transmitted a great deal of the Eastern mysteries and its rich wisdom to the West – through H.P. Blavatsky and The Secret Doctrine, as well as twenty-four books through Alice A. Bailey.

There are other visual interpretations by artists that can be viewed on the internet or in books. Truth, like beauty, is in the eye or heart of the beholder.

Phillip Lindsay, 2014.

Click here to download (384 kb), or to save to hard disk,
go to the image above, right-mouse click, then select, “save image as”.

(See also, The Masters Gallery.)

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ON THE PORTRAIT OF “THE TIBETAN”
by Marjorie Artus.

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(Discovered after Marjorie Artus’ death; typed on a sheet of
paper and folded and taped to the back of the portrait.)

In 1963, on the death of my husband, Norman Artus, I inherited a picture which had been his greatest treasure for some 15 years perhaps. I had first seen the picture in the hotel room of the artist, Annie Gowland, in Cape Town, South Africa in 1948. Annie Gowland had long been an esoteric student in the Arcane School.

Norman Artus had received from Annie Gowland his first teaching in the Ageless Wisdom. On her death, she left the picture to him. All she would ever claim for it was “this is how I saw Him.” Meantime, over the years in Cape Town, she had painted small copies of the original for other Arcane School students, each one slightly different, and she always said that the difference was elicited by the intended recipient, as it were.

Some of these Arcane students told me that it was not known whether A.G. had seen the Tibetan “in the flesh”, she had once traveled to India and to the borders of Tibet or whether she had had a dream, or some such. She just stuck to her statement above. Norman also had one of the smaller pictures, but I gave this away to friends after his passing. I myself now have the “original” larger portrait.

Doubts have been cast on its “authenticity.” I never make any claims about it at all, and have shunned all photographic reproductions. Shortly after I acquired it, I sort of put up a “prayer” indicating I would much like to know if it were in any way, or in any degree, “authentic.” I did not think there was any possibility of “reply.”

However, a few days later I was invited to dinner with old South African friends of Norman’s. After dinner, the wife and I discussed various things concerning Norman and esoteric matters. For some reason, she pressed upon me a copy of Clara Codd’s So Rich a Life, an autobiography. Clara Codd is a Theosophist, and at that time was a well-known lecturer, and Norman had heard her in South Africa and liked her. I don’t have much time for reading, and I really didn’t much want to borrow the book. But, not wanting to seem rude, and because Norman had known her, I took it home.

That night in bed I began to read it, opening it at random. As I read a certain passage, there seemed a great radiance in the room. It was where Leadbeater (quoted by C.C.) was clarifying a question regarding the authenticity of the three Theosophical Society pictures of the Masters. It appeared that he had been “told” that whereas the actual features of a portrait of a Master might not be utterly exact line for line, yet while the artist was painting the picture the Master could stand behind directing the brush and, later, would impregnate it with his vibration.

As I read this passage, something in my head seemed to be telling me that this was the answer to my plea. So, though I make no claims, and could not, the picture seems to carry a power, and I accept it with thanks and humility.

Marjorie Artus
October 10, 1973.

P.S.- Roberto Assagioli [F.C.D. in the DINA books] accepted the above and himself had a small photocopy.