Allegory of Spirits

Author: Sofía Bassi

Name: Alegoría de espíritus (Allegory of Spirits)

Date: 1972

Material: Oil on masonite

Dimensions: 35.43 × 47.24 inches

Location: Private collection

Rights: Sofía Bassi Foundation

Alegoría de espíritus (Allegory of Spirits) immerses the viewer in a dreamlike vision where spectral figures drift across an eerie, celestial landscape. The composition is filled with movement—swirling clouds, ghostly apparitions, and otherworldly architecture that seem to emerge from an alchemical dream. The figures, some faceless and others barely outlined, evoke a sense of passage between realms, reinforcing Bassi’s fascination with spiritual transformation and the metaphysical.

In this painting, Bassi constructs a liminal world that oscillates between light and darkness, solid and ethereal, earthly and cosmic. The presence of floating entities, hooded figures, and the mysterious luminous form in the center suggests an initiation into an unseen reality. Her distinct use of swirling, organic forms mirrors her preoccupation with the occult and alchemical processes, positioning this work within her broader esoteric artistic vision.