From Consul Burton to Baroness Economo: Traces of Theosophy in the Biographies of Triestine Bourgeois Families from the Late 19th Century to the Post-War Period
The thirteenth event in the lecture series organised by the cultural association "Manlio Cecovini Study Society" will take place on Tuesday, 18 March 2025 at 6:00 pm at the Antico Caffè San Marco in Trieste.
The lecture, led by Marina Silvestri, will delve into the role of Theosophy in Trieste, introduced to the city by Sir Francis Richard Burton, British consul, orientalist and explorer, who held office from 1872 to 1890. Burton resided with his wife Isabel at Villa Gossleth, on the hill of San Vito, later purchased by the Economo family, merchants and insurers.
Trieste, the departure port for Lloyd ships bound for India, became a transit point for the Theosophical Society founded by Helena Blavatsky in Adyar. According to some sources, Blavatsky stopped in the city during her travels, fostering the formation of circles interested in mediumistic and spiritual phenomena. In 1908, British businessman Alexander Grant Greenham officially founded the Theosophical Society in Trieste, helping to spread Theosophical thought among intellectuals and professionals.
Theosophy influenced writers, futurist artists, and members of the academic world, promoting comparative studies on religion, science, and philosophy. Despite its popularity, the movement faced opposition from the Catholic Church and later from the Fascist regime, which dissolved it in 1939. During the Allied Military Government, Theosophy re-emerged, also gaining a foothold in the publishing sector.
The Theosophical legacy is reflected in the social and animal welfare efforts of Triestine bourgeois families. In 1960, Baroness Maria Nora Economo founded Astad, a shelter for abandoned animals, embodying the ideal of universal brotherhood and compassion for all living beings.
About the author:
Marina Silvestri is a writer and journalist who has worked in the editorial offices and programmes of Rai in Rome, Trieste, and Trento. Since the 1990s, she has published both non-fiction and fiction works, including Aurelia Gruber Benco. L’identità europea e la politica della cultura (Ibiskos, Empoli, 2009), Lassù nella Trieste asburgica. La questione dei regnicoli e l'identità rimossa (LEG, Gorizia, 2017), and Linuccia Saba e il cinema, un sogno negato (EUT, Trieste, 2019).
