Astrology is a rendezvous with destiny and a visual history of the art of astrology, from ancient science to modern practice.

Since the dawn of human history, people from all cultures have looked to the heavens in search of meaning, and the movement of the celestial bodies, together with their relationship to our lives, has been the primary focus of astrology for thousands of years. This practice has inspired admiration and devotion, and has served as a tool for deepening our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

Although modern horoscopes are its most popular form, its lineage dates back to the Babylonians, Egyptians and Greeks. As Andrea Richards recounts, astronomy and astrology were sister sciences, from the astronomical alignment of the King’s Chamber in the Great Pyramid of Giza to the first observatories overseen by Persian experts, and even the horoscopes that Galileo drew up for the Medici. With the Enlightenment and the rise of the exact sciences, astrology shifted into realms where mystery still held sway, inspiring literature, art and psychology, and influencing figures such as Goethe, Byron and Blake. Later, movements such as Theosophy and the New Age incorporated it into mass culture.

Edited by Jessica Hundley, this volume, the second in TASCHEN’s Library of Esotericism series, is the first visual compendium of its kind on Western astrology. It explores symbolism through more than 400 images from around the world, ranging from Egyptian temples and illuminated manuscripts to contemporary art, and brings together works by artists from Alphonse Mucha and Hilma af Klint to Arpita Singh and Manzel Bowman to reflect the turning of the planets and the wheel of the zodiac. It also includes excerpts from interviews with astrologers such as Robert Hand, Jessica Lanyadoo and Mecca Woods, celebrating the stars and their mysterious influence on everyday life.

Key features:

• Binding: Hardback.
• Pages: 520.
• Language: Spanish.