Science, Art, and Religion: From the Occult to Modernity

Gabriella De Marco explores the historical interplay between science, art, and religion from the late 19th to early 20th century, drawing parallels to contemporary debates. She cites historian Carlo Fumian's book "Verso una società planetaria" (Donzelli, 2003) to highlight how early 1900s media amplified occult and anti-scientific ideas. De Marco discusses the influence of esoteric movements like Theosophy (Helena Blavatsky, 1875) and anthroposophy (Rudolf Steiner) on modern artists including Kandinsky, Mondrian, Malevich, and Pollock. She notes that X-rays, discovered in 1895, were popularly interpreted as "photographing the soul," influencing Cubism's fragmentation. The article argues that popular press, not scientific journals, drove public perception, creating a tension between empirical science and alternative knowledge. De Marco references the 1919 publication of Einstein's relativity in The Times as a delayed influence on art criticism. The piece concludes that art assumed the role of synthesizing East-West dialogues and addressing existential questions once governed by religion.