The Witch of Malleghem
published 1559
Medium
engraving
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1964.8.433
Art Historical Context
"The Witch of Malleghem," published in 1559, is an engraving designed by Pieter Bruegel the Elder and executed by Pieter van der Heyden. This Northern Renaissance work captures Bruegel’s signature style of dense, moralistic scenes filled with everyday figures caught in folly. The print uses intricate line work typical of engraving to create a lively, satirical tableau that invites close looking. Created during the Reformation era, when prints circulated widely as affordable commentary, the image critiques superstition and quackery through its crowded composition. Bruegel often drew on popular...