Swimming the Witch - Medieval woodcut (note innocent person in foreground)
I'm off onto magic for awhile. I've been taking graduate
courses at Wesleyan University since 2003. Why I do
this is a mystery although I started as a way to get
up to speed on digital media arts. Its morphed into
history, sociology architecture; essentially everything
I wished I had time for back when I was getting my
MFA. I'm up to my eyeballs trying to write a final essay
for a fascinating course in Miracles and Magic in the
Middle Ages. Of course now that I'm well into writing on
patriarchy, misogyny and rural communities I could be
writing a great paper on the role of art in defining magic.
Pact with the Devil - Medieval woodcut
While slightly off track from primary readings, I've been
finding some fascinating art. I fear as a whole the artists
may have proven the adage that a picture is worth a
thousand words. As stereotypical images of witches
became more available the hysteria that led to hunting
witches grew. Although I believe artists are much more
in tune with modern witch hunts I am less than optimistic
that our culture is anymore civilized than our Medieval
ancestors.
8 comments:
Bill, sounds fascinating, there are alot of phenomena around that I tend to call "magic", but I've never really looked into the historical roots... no doubt there is alot of riveting reading in that domain. I envy your possibility to continue studying in a structured environment, with resources like a good university library... Anyway, hey, I just noticed where you put the link to my blog up on your page, wow, thanks alot, really appreciate ! Well, keep your eyes open, there is magic out there all over, and art plays a large part in translating magic from the "music of the spheres" to something visible...
There are drawbacks to a good university library - Like sometimes never seeing the light of day; but all in all being an artist is a life of learning. lol you are on top of the links,but beware its set up by recent post first :)
While out blog surfing just stumbled on a great one in England, and an article in it caught my eye and reminded me of your post here about studying magic... the blog is here :
http://intothehermitage.blogspot.com/
If you go down through it to a piece she posted in Nov 2008 called "The Curse", at the end of that article she makes a reference to why witches may have mounted broomsticks... very interesting idea there that I had certainly never seen before; am curious to know if you have come across that notion in your travels... ?
Thanks Owen, I see mandrake mentioned often in relation to witches but never in that context. One of the most bizarre references was to the trial of Bridget Bishop in Salem who had 'poppets' in her cellar. I latter found this is an old english variation of puppet. Plus following your thread I found a reference that poppets made from mandrake root as having magical properties.
OMG! This is too bizarre, do you know I have been researching these very images for an embroidery piece for the last week. Not from the magic angle but the torture of witches.
Talk about being on the same wavelength.
I'm finding these images fascinating for the stereotypes they put forward. Ironically, women being sooo much weaker of mind needed to be tortured to obtain confession. One might assume with the weak mind, wandering uterus and all they might just spill the beans concerning their evils ways without the torture. The images would make a nice basis for some lovely embroidery in the right hands ;)
I never understood the logic of them being totured as wtiches because if they had SUCH powers, they would just not be there to be tortured (disappear, become invisible,turn the torture implements into jello etc). But then torture isn't about truth, it is about getting false evidence to support a lie or an agenda, or to control out of fear.
jafa, the housebound uterous
Plus in some of these witch frenzies each confession implicated six others until some bright bulb had the wit to say "wait, we can't all be witches can we?"
Post a Comment