A Witches' Sabbath

Cornelis Saftleven

Created:

Movement:

c. 1650

Baroque

key Notes:

Grotesque Imagery, Supernatural Gathering

Dimensions:

54.3 × 78.2 cm (21 3/8 × 30 3/4 in.)

medium:

Oil on panel

Difficulty:

Expert

New game

story of the work:

"A Witches' Sabbath" by Cornelis Saftleven is a work that exemplifies the 17th-century Dutch fascination with the supernatural and the grotesque, depicting a chaotic scene of witches and fantastical creatures engaged in a nocturnal gathering. Saftleven, known for his genre scenes and satirical works, employs a dark, atmospheric palette to explore themes of moral transgression and the inversion of societal norms.

Description of the work:

"A Witches' Sabbath" by Cornelis Saftleven is an oil on panel painting that depicts a chaotic and fantastical scene filled with grotesque figures and supernatural elements, characteristic of the artist's interest in the macabre and the bizarre. The composition is densely populated with witches, demons, and mythical creatures, rendered with meticulous detail and a dark, earthy palette that enhances the eerie atmosphere of the nocturnal gathering.

Artwork Photograph Source:

Art Institute of Chicago

Could this content be improved?

Please let us know and we will be happy to correct it. We have put a ton of effort into collating and organizing all of this.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.