Italy / c. 1645–1649
Scenes of Witchcraft
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Scenes of Witchcraft as painting (Italy · c. 1645–1649).
The artist chose the painting's shape to reference the foundational role of the circle in practicing magic.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this painting as oil on canvas and credits Salvator Rosa (Italian, 1615–1673).
The museum's collection notes: A huge upturn in interest in witchcraft emerged during the 1500s in Europe, but by the middle of the next century—at least among the cultured elite of Florence—a backlash arose against the many accusations of sorcery. Artists and writers explored the topic more out of curiosity and amusement, chief among them the poet, painter, and satirist Salvator Rosa, who examined witchcraft with gusto in numerous poems and works of art, including these four paintings. They show a range witch types, from the beautiful enchantress to the old crone to the male sorcerer, and represent activities commonly associated with black magic: levitation, love potions,
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtScenes of WitchcraftOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.