Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831 - 1891), a gifted and colorful personality, courageous and emancipated, as famous as she was infamous, was the pioneer of a new occultism during the height of materialism in the 19th century. Gerhard Wehr skillfully paints a comprehensive picture of this fascinating founder of the Theosophical Society, referred to as the "Sphinx of the 19th Century," and also discusses her major works and key collaborators. A glossary, index, and numerous illustrations complete the volume, which can lead to a new understanding of the origins of modern spiritual movements in a time seemingly dominated by materialism.