Elisar von Kupffer

Biography

Elisar von Kupffer was born on February 20, 1872, in Tallinn. Throughout his life, he was a multifaceted cultural figure—an artist, poet, historian, writer, translator, photographer, and text editor. His creative activity was connected to Estonia, Switzerland, and the Russian Empire. He is also recognized under the pseudonym Elisarion. Von Kupffer authored the world’s first anthology of homosexual literature, marking an important contribution to literary and cultural history. He was a prominent representative of homoerotic painting in the first half of the 20th century. Additionally, he founded the esoteric movement known as Clarism, which contributed to mystical and philosophical traditions. This influence is most notably reflected in the design of the "Temple of Clarism" in Minusio, where he died on October 31, 1942.