Witches c. 1897

Alphonse Mucha created this sketch, Witches, with graphite on paper. Although undated, it is likely from the late 19th or early 20th century, a period when beliefs about witchcraft were changing from fearful accusations to more romantic and occult interpretations. Mucha, a Czech artist working in fin-de-siècle Paris, became famous for his Art Nouveau posters featuring idealized women. In this sketch, he uses a similar style to depict witches, but with a more ambiguous tone. Are these women figures of fear, or of beauty? Are they victims of persecution, or empowered figures? The sketch shows them in flight with a suggestion of domestic tools below, as if they have been liberated from daily toil. The power of this image lies in Mucha's use of visual codes that were familiar to his audience, yet he was also reframing the narrative around witchcraft. The visual and cultural context in which art is made is crucial to understanding its meaning. We can look at court documents and transcripts of the time to get a richer understanding of the social history behind witchcraft beliefs.