Where does artistic and intellectual inspiration come from? Is it really something divine? In fact, Pablo Picasso thought “inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” With that simple proposition, the father of cubism explained the foundations of his work, although he didn’t really take for granted the so-called elevated and abstract essence of art. Great ideas and great pieces are an outburst of inspiration. Moreover, history has proven that real life muses have always existed. It doesn’t matter where they come from, one can’t avoid looking at those real references that invite us to create or portray something beautiful, powerful, and enlightening. That’s the case of Lou Andreas-Salomé.
The role of many of the muses who inspired paintings, movies, music, or even poetry, tends to be kept hidden behind the name of their creators, but that doesn’t mean that their inspiring role wasn’t as important, stimulating, or catalytic as the works itself. In ancient Greece, muses were exalted as divine beings. As daughters of Apollo, they inspired poetry, music, and arts in general. However, if we see it under a modern scope, the subject can’t be simplified to a matter of beauty. The concept forces us to go beyond superficiality, to the true beauty that encompasses the essence and nature of inspiration. In that way, the temper, personality, and nature of Lou Andreas-Salomé were the main elements that inspired and captivated some of the most brilliant minds of the twentieth century.
Lou Andreas-Salomé was born in St. Petersburg in 1861. She was a writer, thinker, and psychoanalyst. Henrik Gillot, considered as her first mentor, was her theology, philosophy, and French and German literature teacher. Even though Gillot was married, he fell in love with Andreas-Salomé and even asked her to marry him, but she rejected him. Sometime after that, this muse moved to Rome, where she frequented cultural events. That’s how she met Paul Reé, with whom she had long philosophical discussions that ended, at least in Reé’s case, in a deep crush. It was him who introduced her to his great friend Friedrich Nietzsche.
This young woman caught the attention of the nihilist philosopher, who was instantly captivated by her maturity and intelligence. The three of them were immersed in a love triangle. Reé was as madly in love with Andreas-Salomé as Nietzsche. The latter actually proposed to her more than once, and she always replied that she was bewitched by his talent, but she couldn’t correspond to his feelings. Nietzsche accepted to be her unrequited lover; devastated and depressed he locked himself up for days to write. It was in that seclusion that he wrote his famous philosophical novel: Thus Spoke Zarathustra.
In 1887, Lou Andreas-Salomé married Friedrich Carl, a professor in Eastern Language, 15 years older than her. However, she never quit her freedom and would go to diverse circles that allowed her to keep casual relationships with other men.
Later on, she met Rainer Maria Rilke, 14 years younger. With this German poet she shared feelings and hopes; she was a key role in his formation. After some time of the relationship, Rilke became more and more possessive with Lou, which pushed her to end the relationship. It’s thought that his Duino Elegies came from the personal crisis he lived after this breakup.
When Andreas-Salomé got interested in psychoanalysis, she went with Poul Bjerre, her current partner, to a congress in Weimar. There, she was introduced to Sigmund Freud. From that moment on, they started a relationship based on mutual admiration and interest for the works they were developing. Among the writings of this real-life muse stands out a long letter called My Thanks to Freud.
The woman that inspired and captivated some of the most brilliant minds of the twentieth century with her sagacity and bubbly personality died in January 1937. With style and grace, she bade farewell to this world in her sleep. Lou Andreas-Salomé was an authentic muse, a woman with a telluric force and own gravitational pool, a beauty engraved in one of the most intelligent and sensible minds of her time.
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Women in history are often overshadowed by men, especially in chronological accounts of humanity. However, it’s more than evident that humanity is formed by a mixed gender, and it’s not exactly a masculine one. The world we know has also been built relying on the proposals, decisions, and ideas of female figures. Take a look at these 10 women that ruled the world and were forgotten by history.
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Translated by María Isabel Carrasco Cara Chards
