Witches (Bruxas)

With regard to witches there are several aspects to consider: professional witches and their activities (unguents, flights, Sabbath), harassment (arrest, prosecution, sentencing, punishment). The inquisitor Bernard Gui (ca 1397-1323) said that “witchcraft insinuates the pact and the latter heresy”, and the chronicler William of Malmesbury (12th century) said “witches: greedy, lustful, with no limits to debauchery”.


No que respeita às bruxas há que considerar vários aspectos: as profissionais do ramo e as suas actividades (unguentos, voos, sabat) e perseguição (prisão, acusação, sentença, punição). Sobre elas afirmaram o inquisidor Bernard Gui (ca 1397-1323) “a feitiçaria insinua o pacto e este a heresia” e o cronista William de Malmesbury (séc. XII) “bruxas: gulosas, lascivas, sem limites para a devassidão”.

Hans Baldung Grien (ca 1484-1545)-'witches' Dresden-Kupferstich-Kabinett

Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)-'four witches'-engraving-1497 Nürnberg-Germanisches National museum

Johann Heinrich Füssli (1741-1825)-'the witch and the mandrake'-etching-ca 1812 New York-Metropolitan Museum of Art

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (1746-1828)-'witches'-oil on canvas-1789 Madrid-Museo Lazzaro Galdiano

Niklaus Manuel (ca 1484-1530)-'witches' Basel-Kupferstich-Kabinett