Descrizione
Storia dell’arte [149] Nuova Serie 2018|1
Tania De Nile
“Una carta finta di notte con una Maga, e con atti d’incantesimi”. Copie e derivazioni da un perduto originale di Adam Elsheimer
In the life of Adam Elsheimer Giovanni Baglione mentions «una carta finta di notte con una Maga, e con atti d’incantesimi». Starting from this important source, the article deals with the hypothesis that this “carta”, engraved by Elsheimer or after a lost painting by him, served as a model for The Witch printed by Jan van de Velde II in 1626. In particular, it sheds light on the relationship which binds Van de Velde II with Hendrick Goudt, who was the principal responsible for the dissemination of Elsheimer’s works in The Netherlands. Moreover, numerous copies and variations show the impact of this composition and the circulation of the motif of “the witch with her hair in the wind”, whose fortune is demonstrated by the frequent presence in numerous witchcraft images painted by David Teniers II.
