Scenes of Witchcraft: Evening
c. 1645–49
- Medium
- oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 54.5 cm
- Status
- In Museum Collection
- Collect24 Art ID
- C24-109284
At dusk, Rosa's hags gather around a cauldron. Above their incantations soars a conjured skeleton holding an hourglass symbolizing the brevity of life. In its left hand, the demonic creature holds a capital letter A from which extends a plumb line; as ancient signs of the moon and judgment, this strange combination of symbols embodies the nocturnal judgment the witches are doling out below. Though more rare in paint, the detailed portrayal of witches at their spells enjoyed a long literary tradition. The wax effigy alludes to classical literature by Virgil and Horace that described love magic…
Provenance
Wade Fund, 1977.37.3
Registry history
- c. 1645–49 — Recorded in the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
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