Witchcraft - The Library of Esotericism

An introduction to the fascinating and complex history of witchcraft, from the worship of ancient goddesses to the contemporary rise of this craft in modern art and activism, this exhaustive volume provides a breathtaking overview of an ancestral tradition. Rooted in legends, folklore, and myths, the archetype of the witch comes from the stories of Ulysses and Circe, the Celtic temptress Cerridwen, and the figure of Hecate, fierce monarch of the night she illuminates.

In "Witchcraft," we find her multiple incarnations, her successive mutations over the centuries, in turn mother, nymph, or shrew—seductress and destroyer. Edited by Jessica Hundley and co-edited by author and erudite practitioner Pam Grossman, this captivating visual chronicle is the first of its kind: an in-depth dive into the complex system of symbols underlying witchcraft traditions, explored through the lens of art history. The witch was the muse of great artists, from the dark obsessions of Francisco José de Goya and Albrecht Dürer to the elegant praises of the magical feminine reimagined by the surrealist circle of Remedios Varo, Leonora Carrington, and Leonor Fini. The witch has enchanted the world through folk tales, literature, and drama, from the poisoned apples of the Brothers Grimm to the Weird Sisters leaning over their black cauldrons in Shakespeare's Macbeth, to the famous Wicked Witch of the West laughing at Dorothy's fate in L. Frank Baum's film.

This visual journey also brings to life the persecutions the witch endured and makes us feel the resilience that restored her strength, through which she became the contemporary symbol of defiance, audacity, and powerful nonconformity.

Enriched with fascinating essays written by modern practitioners such as Kristen J. Sollée and Judika Illes, as well as interviews with authors and specialists like Madeline Miller and Juliet Diaz, "Witchcraft" brings together a wide range of cultural traditions, where magic intertwines with spiritual exploration and creative catharsis. "I think all women are witches, which is to say magical beings." — Yoko Ono