Heksensabbat 1755

Jacques Aliamet’s etching, “Heksensabbat,” or “Witches' Sabbath,” pulls us into a world of 18th-century folklore. In the print, we see an old woman, seemingly a witch, immersed in her craft, surrounded by the tools and familiars of her trade. During the Enlightenment, superstition and reason were constantly at odds, with the figure of the witch becoming a focal point for societal anxieties. This print reflects the ambivalence of the time, as Aliamet both depicts and perhaps critiques the popular fascination with witchcraft. Note the stark contrast between the detailed rendering of the witch and the more fantastical elements surrounding her, such as the demonic figure looming behind. This juxtaposition highlights the tension between the perceived reality of the witch and the exaggerated fears projected onto her. The witch as an old, solitary woman, challenges the traditional, patriarchal structures of society, embodying a form of power and knowledge outside the mainstream. Through “Heksensabbat,” Aliamet invites us to reflect on the historical treatment of marginalized figures and the enduring power of myth in shaping social perceptions.