“Hirschfeld’s line is Gotham- life plugged into an electric socket, flashing neon, open all night long.” ~Frank Rich

We take pause today to remember another Grand Gemini, Al Hirschfeld. Known for over an incredible 80 year career of capturing the life and times of celebrities throughout the 20th century with the simplicity of ink on paper, there is no question how Hirschfeld became appropriately titled, ‘The Line King.’

Born in St. Louis to the last licks of 29 degree Gemini Sun in 1903, Albert Hirschfeld was gifted right from the start. Even though Al was distinctly known through his caricatures, he did begin his art enthusiasm through the mediums of painting and sculpture alongside the obvious knack of his intimacy with the line in his drawings.

Before a life-long artistic career while residing in New York City, Hirschfeld studied in Paris. Like many extremely talented souls who achieve greatness in their field, Al possesses an auspicious astrological aspect called the grand trine within his natal birth chart. Grand trine??? You might be saying… what on earth does that mean? Umm… do I have one of those?

Although Hirschfeld’s time of birth is not exactly known, one can still determine from the date of birth the placement of each of his planets in the signs they were in when he first drew breath upon 21 June, 1903. Within Al’s personal “universal photograph” we can easily determine a distinct connection between three of his planets: Mercury, Mars, and Saturn- representing his thinking/mentality, drive, and self-reliance, respectively.

For Al, these planets sit in the three Air Signs, as trine essentially means things of the same element, with a different task at hand. With his Mercury at 8 degrees Gemini, Mars at 7 degrees Libra, and Saturn @ 9 degrees Aquarius, mathematically, these planets relate and connect to one another in the birth chart on a very friendly, easeful and relaxed manner. Perfected form of expression more often than not occurs from this mathematical influence from the heavens.

Thus, a grand trine is formed in any birth chart when the degrees of any three planets form an equilateral triangle. Whenever an astrologer sees this shape show itself, they ought to know innate talent is never too far off. In this example, Gemini, Libra and Aquarius make up the Zodiac’s air signs, those that stimulate the intellect, linear thinking, and relating to others.

“You always feel the drawing you are working on is the best you’ve ever done… I am only interested in the present.” ~Al Hirschfeld

Couple Al’s grand trine influence with a Master Number 22 Lifepath and it becomes even more evident he was to reach the status that he did. With any 22 influence, it is Uranus’s urging through the singular 4 that the soul’s originality and unique way of doing something prevails along the journey, promising to manifest equal masterful rewards. And so it was with Al.

“A line is just a dot out for a walk.” ~Al Hirschfeld

Further granting Hirschfeld creative reign was his 21 Karmic Path, The Crown of the Magi. Jupiter’s guidance over the singular 3 here had no trouble reaping the benefits from the creative juices. 3 energies are known to accelerate at the arts on some level, being their communicative need for expression and freedom are key. Once tapped into, these abilities flowed like a river throughout Al’s steady and fruitful career.

By 1945, as Al entered one of his many 1 Personal Years, he witnessed true to the new beginnings energy that marked that years’ cycle, some momentous starts. One, he became a father to a daughter named Nina. On a “fluke” he hid her name within a drawing to commemorate the occasion. This infectiously caught on as a game of sorts that was never to end, for, from that moment forward, Hirschfeld fans everywhere wanted more and more NINA’s to find in his dazzling lines. Thus here to did the well-known Hirschfeld signature begin, wherein the number listed after his name indicated the number of NINA’s to find.

“When I was about fourteen, my mother took me to see a musical comedy-and that was my first experience in the theater and I was enchanted with it. It transported me to another world- you might say that I was stage-struck. I was mesmerized by the stage.” ~Al Hirschfeld

It is sad to open a Sundays’ The New York Times ‘Arts and Leisure’ section and not be able to find another wondrous capture of lines on paper that intimately and yet so simply related the subject matter at hand. Al worked consistently up until his passing upon the 20th of January 2003. His grand trine in the air signs undoubtedly aided in his clarity that lasted throughout his 99 years, as these energies are known to retain their mental capacities, while Gemini is a great influence to retain youth.

“Artists are just children who refuse to put down their crayons.” ~Al Hirschfeld

To conclude our tribute to Al Hirschfeld, the mysteries found within Lexigrams strike yet another fascinating chord. Here once again, is the conclusive evidence that alongside our astrological and numerological wisdom, Lexigrams grant us one more piece of a soul’s story to be told. So Al, it really was no “fluke” after all. Let’s spell out the truth.

ALBERT HIRSCHFELD

LET IT BE, AL IS A CHILD ARTIST

AL HIT IT AS A REAL STAR ARTIST LATER

AL FEELS BEST AS AL IS FREE AT THE THEATER

HE RE-CREATES THE STARS AS HIS ART

AL’S CLEAR ART IS A REAL HIT, IT CREATES A LIFT

AL’S ART HAS A FRESH FREE FEEL

AL’S ART HAS THE REAL THEATER FEEL

AL’S HEART IS AT THE THEATER

HE LIBERATED THE THEATER AS HIS ART RISE

AS A THRILL, AL HIDES HIS CHILDS’ “ID”

AS AL’S ART HIDES HER “ID,” THIS IS A REAL FAB HIT

AL’S ART IS SET AS IT IS CHERISHED

ALL FEEL AL’S ART IS THE BEST!

Al Hirshfeld is featured in It’s All in the Name, Chapter 7 Artists & Writers