Witches Preparing for Sabbath
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 17 1/4 × 25 3/4 in. (43.8 × 65.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Charles Hack and Angella Hearn, 2001
Accession Number
2001.648
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the early 17th century, Europe's fervent witch hunts, Dutch artist Jacques de Gheyn, in collaboration with engravers Andries Stock and Nicolaes de Clerck, created *Witches Preparing for Sabbath* around 1610. This monumental engraving, measuring an impressive 17¼ × 25¾ inches, captures a fantastical scene of witches amid their nocturnal rituals, surrounded by familiars like cats and lizards and playful putti—chubby cherubs that add a whimsical contrast to the eerie gathering. De Gheyn, a master of Northern Mannerism, was renowned for his intricate depictions of the occult, blending meticulou...