When Alexandre de Salzmann and his wife Jeanne first met Gurdjieff in 1919, he was already a well known stage lighting artist in both Russia and Germany. He soon gave up his professional career to follow Gurdjieff and was one of the founding members of the Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man.

Alexandre de Salzmann - by Basarab Nicolescu

Born in Tiflis to a German family, Alexandre de Salzmann (1874–1934) along with his wife Jeanne, met Gurdjieff in Russia in 1916. Gurdjieff put to good use Alexandre’s talents in painting, lighting, staging, and interior design during the years that followed in France.

Light, Lighting and Illumination

An essay by Alexandre de Salzmann describing his work with theatre lighting. “Reverberating light, that is what we seek. Needless to say, such light must fill all the space at hand, including both the audience and the performers.”