What do painted witches reveal about the world that rendered them?

From the twisted etchings of Dürer to the moonlit melancholy of Rossetti, this two-part episode wanders through five iconic artworks that echo the archetype of the witch as monster, muse, seductress, scapegoat, and sovereign. We explore how artists across centuries projected their awe, desire, and fear onto the feminine form, and how the witch - even when framed; continues to look back.

Part I guides us through grotesque Renaissance engravings, baroque horrors, and the erotically charged fantasies of the Victorian salon.
Part II will descend into spellcraft and sorrow; sacred feminine power in the hands of Waterhouse and Rossetti and ends with a reflection on the witch in art, memory, and rebellion.

This is not just an art history lesson.
It’s a séance.
A spell.
A love letter to painted defiance.

Hex & Muse is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. I pay my deepest respects to their Elders past and present - and to all First Nations people, whose stories and spirits continue to shape this land.

Follow along for more folklore, magic, and mythic musings:
Instagram: @hexandmuse
Website: www.hexandmuse.com

Hex & Muse is a spellbound journal of folklore, magic, art, and the sacred feminine - told through cinematic storytelling and whispered histories.
From my altar to yours… thank you for listening.