Theos-Talk Archives (November 2004 Message tt00070)

Jerry wrote:

"Like the portraits of M and KH, which, 
as an Indian member of our group characterized 
as looking like 'a couple of white men.'?"

Dallas commented:

"I don't agree to that. In the Punjab and 
N. India there are men and women as fair as any."

Jerry replied:

"Which is precisely where this person I 
mentioned above, grew up. He is also fair 
enough of complexion to be called 'white' but
he also knows the difference, which has to 
with much more than skin color."

So what should a reader conclude from these 
remarks about the portraits in question?

Should we conclude that these portraits do
not accurately portray the two Masters?

H.P.B. keep in her rooms in London a copy of
Master Morya's portrait and she authorized
her esoteric students to have copies of both
of these portraits. One would assume she
was satisfied with the portraits.

Colonel Olcott who testified he had met the Master Morya
in the physical seemed quite satisfied with the
portraits. He wrote in part:

"It was about this time that Mr. and Mrs. Schmiechen joined the 
Society, and I invited the former to compete, which he most kindly at 
once agreed to. The marvellous result – the seventh attempt at a 
portrait – is known to all of us; his portrait of this Master 
[Morya], as well as the one of the other [Master Koot Hoomi], which 
he painted from a crude sketch in Mr. Sinnett's possession,
seeming as life-like as if the subjects had posed to him in the usual
way...."

Reproductions of these portraits can be found at:

http://morya.net

http://koothoomi.net

Should one assume Madame Blavatsky and
Colonel Olcott palmed off "fraudulent" portraits
on Theosophists?

What did the Indian member conclude?

And what is Jerry's position on this?

Daniel
http://blavatskystudycenter.org