Lou Andreas-Salomé's 161st Birthday

Today’s Doodle illustrated by Berlin, Germany-based guest artist Isabel Seliger celebrates the first woman in history to become a psychoanalyst, Russian-born German poet, essayist, biographer, and novelist Lou Andreas-Salomé. Pursuing a career in philosophy in a time when women’s opportunities in the field were restricted, Andreas-Salomé broke convention by becoming a central figure in prominent intellectual circles in late 19th and early 20th century Europe.

Lou Andreas-Salomé was born Louise Salomé on this day in 1861 in St. Petersburg, Russia. Raised in an intellectual family of Russian, German, and French heritage, Andreas-Salomé developed a fascination with French and German literature as a young adult. In 1880, she furthered her academic studies at the progressive University of Zurich, one of the few schools at the time that did not exclude women.

In 1882, Andreas-Salomé joined the literary salon of eminent feminist Malwida von Meysenburg in Rome, where she met Friedrich Nietzsche. The German philosopher fell in love with Andreas-Salomé, and many believe her intellectual prowess inspired Nietzsche’s 1883 masterwork “Thus Spoke Zarathustra.” Through the turn of the 20th century, Andreas-Salomé published numerous psychological essays and novels—many based on her experiences as a woman navigating societal norms and the growing intellectual movement of her time.

In 1911, Andreas-Salomé met and began an apprenticeship under Sigmund Freud, known today as the father of psychoanalysis. She integrated Freud’s training with her decades of experience writing on the psyche to become the first woman psychoanalyst. Although Andreas-Salomé's story was little-known during her lifetime, a dramatic reimagining of her encounters with Nietzche shed light on her story in the 1981 eponymous opera, “Lou Salome.”   

Today’s Doodle was illustrated by Berlin, Germany-based guest artist Isabel Seliger. Below, she shares her thoughts behind the making of this Doodle:

Q. Why was this topic meaningful to you personally?

A: I always appreciate it when I feel well chosen for a topic and that was the case with Lou Andreas-Salomé. A woman, a free spirit, a writer and psychoanalyst, student of Sigmund Freud at the age of 50. She was a really interesting and inspiring woman and it was an honor and a pleasure for me to portray her.

Q. What were your first thoughts when you were approached about working on this Doodle?

A: Above all, I was happy to be able to create a Doodle again. After the first portrait of Emma Ihrers in 2018, it should again be a portrait of a strong woman. She was a writer and a psychoanalyst—both activities that interest me and that I like to draw including the time she lived in…the clothes and patterns.

Q. Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle? 

A: I looked at art deco frames, wallpaper, patterns, and typefaces. I drew inspiration for the concept from the notes I found on Lou Andreas-Salomé and from the briefing.

Q. What message do you hope people take away from your Doodle?

A: I hope that my portrait will inspire those who don't know Lou Andreas-Salomé to engage with her. And that she will be recognized by those who already know her.

Early drafts of the Doodle