Oswald Wirth French artist, occultist Date of Birth: 05.08.1860 Country: Switzerland

1. Biography of Oswald Wirth
2. Early Life and Family
3. Founding the Kabbalistic Order of the Rose+Cross
4. Philosophy and Divination with Tarot
5. Death and Legacy

Biography of Oswald Wirth

Oswald Wirth was a French artist, occultist, and one of the founders of the Kabbalistic Order of the Rose+Cross. He was also the creator of one of the occult Tarot decks and a Freemason.

Early Life and Family

Joseph Paul Oswald Wirth was born on August 5, 1860, around 9 o'clock in the morning in Brienz, a small town located on Lake Brienz in Switzerland. He had three brothers, two of whom died in infancy, and his third brother, Edward, was killed in battle in 1894. His sister, Eliza, was born in 1875, and Oswald remained close to her until his death.

Wirth credited Stanislas de Guaita for shaping his life. He first met Guaita in the spring of 1887, and Guaita became his secretary and friend. Wirth wrote about him, saying that he owed everything to him.

Founding the Kabbalistic Order of the Rose+Cross

In 1888, Papus, Saint-Yves d'Alveydre, Stanislas de Guaita, Joseph Peladan, and Oswald Wirth joined forces to establish the Kabbalistic Order of the Rose+Cross.

Wirth contributed a significant body of work that has become classics in the field. He explored Hermetic symbolism, which was often associated with alchemy and Freemasonry. He also delved into astrological symbolism and, most notably, Tarot cards created by medieval artists. Wirth revived the symbolic study of the major cards and designed them for Stanislas de Guaita.

Philosophy and Divination with Tarot

Wirth authored several books on hermetic symbolism, astrology, and Tarot. His work on Tarot, in particular, has gained recognition and popularity. He explored the occult meanings and symbolism behind Tarot cards, emphasizing their use as a divination tool. His Tarot deck, known as the Tarot of the Magicians, became widely used for philosophical and divinatory purposes.

Death and Legacy

Oswald Wirth passed away on March 9, 1943, at 11 o'clock. He was laid to rest in the Mouterre-sur-Blourde cemetery in the south of Poitiers.