The Fateful Year of 1923

GA 259 — 21 October 1923, Dornach

Remarks on the Goetheanum Money Box

after the lecture.

And now, in conclusion, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that in the corner you can see a small work of art that came about through the efforts of Mr. Pyle. This work of art also represents something else, namely that it is a work of art that is intended to please you. It is not only beautiful, but also useful. Just because something is beautiful does not mean that it has to deny all usefulness. And so this little work of art does not deny its usefulness either. You have the eagle at the top, then the lion and the snake. So you see, the imagery is somewhat shifted. But that is precisely what is needed for this task. The whole thing has a mouth at the front, a lion's mouth, and the mouth wants something. The lion wants to eat. Do you know what it wants to eat? Donations for the Goetheanum, so that we can rebuild. And this should be arranged so that as many people as possible buy such a money box, because it is a money box, and the lion's jaws represent the slit through which you put what you have saved in cigarettes and all sorts of other things, in short intervals, so that it is full very soon. There will be a device at the bottom so that one can open it and deliver the contents to the Goetheanum. This is Mr. Pyle's idea.

It will be made of plaster or terracotta. I think it will be very beautiful. At first there is only the model here, but you can sign up and then you can get things here later. So you will find an opportunity to get one of these money boxes, to always have something beautiful, but also something that demands something equally useful. As you leave, take a look at this beautiful, useful thing and get the feeling, the sense, that this eagle, this lion, is also meant to complement what a person otherwise does with his money. You need your environment; a piece of the environment has been created. Complement yourself with this environment!