A collection of illustrations of magic circles. We will give the proper details on each image when we have them (source, description, artist, etc.)
Cover photo from the 1683 „Daemonolatria, oder: Beschreibung von Zauberen und Zauberinnen, mit wunderld” by Nicolai Remigii This is the only illustrated edition of Remy’s Demonolatry, the famous witch-hunting manual first published in Lyon in the year 1595 under the title Daemonolatreiae libri tres
Cover photo from the 1683 „Daemonolatria, oder: Beschreibung von Zauberen und Zauberinnen, mit wunderld” by Nicolai Remigii This is the only illustrated edition of Remy’s Demonolatry, the famous witch-hunting manual first published in Lyon in the year 1595 under the title Daemonolatreiae libri tres
Die dem Bock ehrende Hexen (witches honoring the goat) Image description by Jane P. Davidson from her book “Early Modern Supernatural: The Dark Side of European Culture, 1400-1700”: This scene shows witches honoring a devil-goat kissing it under its tail; a witch who is creating an evil brew and storm inside a magic circle; and a demon smoking a pipe. (page 182) From the 1693 “Daemonolatria, oder: Beschreibung von Zauberen und Zauberinnen, mit wunderl” by Nicolai Remigii. This is the only illustrated edition of Remy’s Demonolatry, the famous witch-hunting manual first published in Lyon in the year 1595 under the title Daemonolatreiae libri tres.
Die dem Bock ehrende Hexen (witches honoring the goat) Image description by Jane P. Davidson from her book “Early Modern Supernatural: The Dark Side of European Culture, 1400-1700”: This scene shows witches honoring a devil-goat kissing it under its tail; a witch who is creating an evil brew and storm inside a magic circle; and a demon smoking a pipe. (page 182) From the 1693 “Daemonolatria, oder: Beschreibung von Zauberen und Zauberinnen, mit wunderl” by Nicolai Remigii. This is the only illustrated edition of Remy’s Demonolatry, the famous witch-hunting manual first published in Lyon in the year 1595 under the title Daemonolatreiae libri tres.
Die dem Bock ehrende Hexen (witches honoring the goat) Image description by Jane P. Davidson from her book “Early Modern Supernatural: The Dark Side of European Culture, 1400-1700”: This scene shows witches honoring a devil-goat kissing it under its tail; a witch who is creating an evil brew and storm inside a magic circle; and a demon smoking a pipe. (page 182) From the 1693 “Daemonolatria, oder: Beschreibung von Zauberen und Zauberinnen, mit wunderl” by Nicolai Remigii. This is the only illustrated edition of Remy’s Demonolatry, the famous witch-hunting manual first published in Lyon in the year 1595 under the title Daemonolatreiae libri tres.
“Der dem Saul erscheinende Samuel” The spirit of Samuel appears in a magic circle at the command of the witch of Endor. From the 1693 “Daemonolatria, oder: Beschreibung von Zauberen und Zauberinnen, mit wunderl” by Nicolai Remigii. This is the only illustrated edition of Remy’s Demonolatry, the famous witch-hunting manual first published in Lyon in the year 1595 under the title Daemonolatreiae libri tres.
„The Magic Circle” is an oil painting in the Pre-Raphaelite style, created in 1886 by John William Waterhouse. The painting depicts a witch or sorceress drawing a fiery magic circle on the earth to create a ritual space. In a style typical of Waterhouse, the main character is a lone, female figure, placed centrally on the canvas. The surrounding landscape is hazy, as though it is not quite real, and the background figures are only discernible on close inspection, deliberately ensuring the witch is the only image of importance. Waterhouse paid careful attention to the angles employed in this work, balancing the circle the figure is drawing around herself by the use of a triangle – her straight arm, extended by the straight stick, held out at 25 degrees to her erect body. The witch’s power is emphasised by the determined face, by her exclusion of the ravens and frog – popular symbols representing magic – and by her command over the smoke pillar. Instead of billowing outwards or being affected by the wind, it remains in a straight line. A live snake ouroboros loops around the woman’s neck.
„Preparation for the witches’ sabbath”. Etching by D. Vivant-Denon after D. Teniers the younger.
Frontispiece to”A Complete History of Magick, Sorcery, and Witchcraft….” (London, 1715)
Medea Conjuring Her Chariot Antonio Tempesta, Wilhelm Janson Etching in The Metamorphoses of Ovid, pl. 63 1606
A grotto containing a magic circle, books and mythical creatures. Etching by J. Vezzani after G. Rocchetti. By: Giuseppe Rocchettiafter: Jacopo VezzaniPublished: – Credit: Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images images@wellcome.ac.uk
Frontispiece of „The history of witches, ghosts, and Highland seers” (1803). Illustration shows the raising of Samuel by the witch of Endor.
A wizard casting spells from his magic circle by the light of his cauldron surrounded by creatures. Engraving by I. Wood. By: I WoodPublished: – Credit: Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images images@wellcome.ac.uk
The Sorceress; nocturnal scene with a female figure with long hair standing on end at right before a fire; she is pouring powder from a horn into a cauldron and conjuring a group of fantastical monsters at left. 1626 Etching and engraving by Jan van de Velde II
Tarot card “The Magician” from The Hermetic Tarot by Godfrey Dowson
A Walpurgisnacht episode in Goethe’s Faust? In the background, huntsmen with horses and hounds fly through the night sky, as in the Gurrelieder Left, a man inside a protective circle of flaming stones, tends to a fire in a brazier. A human skull is on the ground beside him. Outside the circle, hostile animals (a snake, a boar, an owl, a bat). Right, the ghost of a bearded man materializes in the flame-coloured opening to a cave. [between 1800 and 1830?] Wellcome Library no. 47615i
Witchcraft: the devil talking to a gentleman and a judge (?) in a circle. Woodcut, 1720. 1720 Published Credit: Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images images@wellcome.ac.uk
From the title page of a late edition of Christopher Marlowe’s “Doctor Faustus”, with a woodcut illustration of a devil coming up through a trapdoor. 1620
From the title page of „The Surprisingg life and death of Doctor John Faustus”, published in London, 1727.
The Invocation of Mephistopheles Image taken from Manly P. Hall’s “Secret Teachins of All Ages”, 1978, Philosophical Research Society; Revised Edition This image depicts the magician Faust invoking the spirit of Mephistopheles, in the image of the small ragged demon, similar to the description and image from Faust’s Magia Naturalist et Innaturalis. The text reads: “Mephistopheles, the most notorious of the spirits of evil, is closely identified with the exploits of Dr. Faust. Goethe defines Mephistopheles as “part of the power that still works for good while ever scheming ill.” The majestic figure of the archtempter familiar to opera-goers is not the Mephistopheles of the Grimoires. The secret archives of magic contain the names and descriptions of all the elemental demons and the methods by which they can be controlled. Of Mephistopheles it is written: “He is under the power of Jupiter and his regent’s name is Zadkiel, one of the throne angels of the Holy Jehovah. He can be made to appear early on Wednesday mornings (Jupiter’s day and hour) or late the same evening. He appears first as a fiery beat, but the lesser and more pleasing manifestation is as a little bald-headed man in a black cape.” So the Mephistopheles of ceremonial magic, rising out of the invisible at the demand of the conjurer, limps into view as a grotesque dwarf, but woe unto the unwary magician who falls under the control of this diminutive creature. It is not generally known that Gilles de Leval – the “Bluebeard” of nursery lore – actually lived and practiced his infamies exactly as recorded in the story; that black magic was the true motive for these crimes has also been concealed. But the chapel used by Bluebear and the altar with the image of the demon upon it have been found, and scattered through the various apartments of his castle were the ceremonial implements used in the Black Mass.
The Devil and Dr. Faustus meet. ca. 1825 From: The life and horrible adventures of the celebrated Dr. Faustus; relating his first introduction to Lucifer, and connection with infernal spirits; his method of raising the Devil, and his final dismissal to the tremendous abyss of Hell. Published: Orlando Hudgson, London
Illustration of Der Zauberlehrling. From: German book, “Goethe’s Werke”, 1882, drawing by Ferdinand Barth (Künstler) (1842–1892)
From „Faust, der grosse Mann: oder, Seine Wanderungen durch die Welt mit dem Teufel bis in die Hölle”, Wien, Franz Hass, 1798 Based on the work of Klinger, Lessing and Schreiber Illustration drawn by V. Kininger and engraved by J. Neidl.
From „Faust, der grosse Mann: oder, Seine Wanderungen durch die Welt mit dem Teufel bis in die Hölle”, Wien, Franz Hass, 1798 Based on the work of Klinger, Lessing and Schreiber Illustration drawn by V. Kininger and engraved by J. Neidl.
From Karl Joseph Simrock’s “Doctor Johannes Faust, das Volksbuch, das Puppenspiel”, 1924. Includes facsimile of t.p. of ed. princeps (1587) of the Volksbuch
From Karl Joseph Simrock’s “Doctor Johannes Faust, das Volksbuch, das Puppenspiel”, 1924. Includes facsimile of t.p. of ed. princeps (1587) of the Volksbuch
From “Fausts Leben, Thaten und Höllenfahrt“
Illustration from an 18th century (or thereabouts) manuscript held by Wellcome Library (MS1766), called “Compendium rarissimum totius Artis Magicae sistematisatae per celeberrimos Artis hujus Magistros. Anno 1057. Noli me tangere” or translated as „Most rare summary of the entire Magical Art put together by the most famous Masters of this Art. Year 1057. Do not touch me.”
Illustration from an 18th century (or thereabouts) manuscript held by Wellcome Library (MS1766), called “Compendium rarissimum totius Artis Magicae sistematisatae per celeberrimos Artis hujus Magistros. Anno 1057. Noli me tangere” or translated as „Most rare summary of the entire Magical Art put together by the most famous Masters of this Art. Year 1057. Do not touch me.”
Illustration from an 18th century (or thereabouts) manuscript held by Wellcome Library (MS1766), called “Compendium rarissimum totius Artis Magicae sistematisatae per celeberrimos Artis hujus Magistros. Anno 1057. Noli me tangere” or translated as „Most rare summary of the entire Magical Art put together by the most famous Masters of this Art. Year 1057. Do not touch me.”
„Witchcraft scene”, drawing on paper attributed to Luis Paret y Alcázar, cca. 1770-1799. Inscribed: „Goya”
Scenes of divination, including haruspication, pyromancy and necromancy (engraving) (1601) – Hans Burgkmair
The frontispiece of ‘Pandaemonium’ by Richard Bovet (1684). Note the toad and impressively ugly cat in the foreground and the antlered figure just visible in the doorway of the castle. It is also interesting that the witch and the friar seem to be using remarkably similar techniques for their invocations – magic circles and wands etc. Info taken from http://museumofwitchcraftandmagic.co.uk
J.W. Goethe: Conjuration scene of the witches at full moon. Around 1776/79 From the Goethe-Nationalmuseum in Weimar, Germany.
Plate I, “Edward Kelley, a Magician in the act of invoking the spirit of a deceased person” – From Arthur Edward Waite’s “Book of Ceremonial Magic”, 1911 edition.
“John Dee and Edward Kelley using a magic circle ritual to invoke a spirit in a church grave yard.” From Ebenezer Sibley – The Astrologer of the Nineteenth Century – circa 1825
“John Dee and Edward Kelley using a magic circle ritual to invoke a spirit in a church grave yard.” From Ebenezer Sibley – The Astrologer of the Nineteenth Century – circa 1825
First page of the 1825 book “The astrologer of the nineteenth century Or the master key of futurity, being a complete system of astrology, geomancy & occult science”.
“Awful Invocation of a Spirit” from the 1825 book “The astrologer of the nineteenth century Or the master key of futurity, being a complete system of astrology, geomancy & occult science”.
“The Circle for Raising Oberion”. Illustration 21 from “The astrologer of the nineteenth century”, a book about evocation from 1820’s.
“A Talisman for destroying all kinds of venomous or troublesome insects or reptiles”, illustration 76 from the 1825 book “The astrologer of the nineteenth century Or the master key of futurity, being a complete system of astrology, geomancy & occult science”.
An image of King Bladud attempting to fly with his artificial wings (from the Lyte Pedigree of 1605. British Library Catalog entry Add. Ms. 48343).
“Humbugging or Raising the Devil”, by Thomas Rowlandson. cca. 1800
„Shakespeare sacrificed; -or- the offering to avarice” Satirical print by James Gillray, 1789. Alderman Boydell stands within a magic circle, directing a sacrifice of Shakespeare’s plays; these are burning at his feet; the dense smoke which rises from the fire obscures a monument to Shakespeare, concealing the head and shoulders of a figure of Shakespeare in bas-relief pointing to the inscription on the monument (as in Kent’s monument in Westminster Abbey)
Title page for the pamphlet “De Bezwoorene Schim”, 1701, by Romeyn de Hooghe.
Frontispiece to Jean Bodin‘s “Daemonomania” Hamburg Edition, 1695 (orig. publ. in1580—artist unknown).
Apollo Medicus standing in a magic circle evoking devils to heal a sick man in a bed attended by a young woman. Baccio Baldini; Maso Finiguerra cca. 1470-1475
Hostanes standing in a magic circle with censers with numerous devils, some of them holding books. Hostanes was a Persian sage and sorcerer mentioned by classical writers, including Herodotus and Pliny. Baccio Baldini; Maso Finiguerra cca. 1470-1475
Magician invoking elementals Image taken from Manly P. Hall’s “Secret Teachins of All Ages”, 1978, Philosophical Research Society; Revised Edition The text reads: “The magician, having drawn his circle, is here shown invoking the various elemental beings, who are emerging from their respective haunts. From the earth at his feet come the gnomes, from the water the undines, from the fire the salamanders, and from the air the winged sylphs. A strange wraithlike demon also answers the magician’s call. In „The Coming of the Fairies”, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle defends the existence of the Nature spirits, who for centuries have been regarded as mere figments of the imagination.”
„La Chambre Magique” From from Papus’ „Traité élémentaire de magie pratique” Chapitre XI, La Laboratoire Magique
“Theorie de l’evocation magique/Theory of magical evocation” – from Papus’ „Traité élémentaire de magie pratique” The image shows the difference of spirit manifestations in the physical and the spiritual plane.
“Der Stein der Weisen/The Philosopher’s Stone” by J. Ch. Schellenberg (1786)
An old sorcerer raising an empty purse in his right hand to strike a young man who stands next to him with arms folded and has asked to meet the Devil, the two standing in a magic circle, delineated with skulls and canopied by curtains and a bat-like creature with material draped from its neck, a brazier and a magic wand within, their shadows on the wall beyond; Illustration by:Arthur Rackham From „The Ingoldsby Legends” by Richard Harris Barham
“The Vision of the Sunday Child” Painting by Cornelis Saftleven Oil on panel 1660
„A Witch’s Tavern”, 1650 Painting by Cornelis Saftleven
“The Witches’ Sabbath” Painting by Frans Francken the Younger Oil on panel, between 1599 and 1656
“Sabbat” Painting by Frans Francken the Younger Oil on panel, circa 1640
“The Witches’ Kitchen” Painting by Frans Francken the Younger Oil on panel, 1606
“A Witches’ Kitchen” Painting by Frans Francken the Younger Oil on panel, 1610
“A Witches’ Sabbath” Painting by Frans Francken the Younger Oil on panel
“A Witches’ Sabbath” Painting by Frans Francken the Younger Oil on panel, 1607
„An incantation” by John British Dixon (1773) A hag and a young woman by the mouth of a cave, in front of a flaming cauldron, the young woman, kneeling, looks in horror at flames on the ground as the older woman holds a long wand above the cauldron; around them, inscribed on the ground, is a circle with the signs of the Zodiac, a skeleton on the left, by a book with symbols, skeletons of animals in the background.
Catherine de Medici and astrologer Cosimo Ruggeri. Observe the magic circle on the ground.
„Zillah in the secret chamber” Published in „Harper’s Weekly”, December 1868
“Philosopher laughing at Magick” A philosopher reading a book of magic and laughing, resting his elbow on the table, although surrounded by a man in a magic circle on the right, a skull, dog and bats; after Teniers. Mezzotint with some etching Robert Sayer, after David Teniers the Younger 1760-1792
“Évocation des Morts Aimés” or “Evocation of Dead Loved Ones”. Illustration by Emile Bayard from „History of Magic” by P. Christian, 1884
Zoroaster standing in a circle and conjuring up two demons. From a copy of “Le Livre du Tresor” by Brunetto Latini (1425) British Library (Add. 39844, f.51)
Woodcut from an 18th-century chapbook about the prophetess and supposed witch Mother Shipton, featured in Chap-books of the Eighteenth Century (1834) by John Ashton
Woodcut from an 18th-century chapbook about the prophetess and supposed witch Mother Shipton, featured in Chap-books of the Eighteenth Century (1834) by John Ashton
From Scheible’s “Das Kloster…” 1846 Erstes Kapitel der Historien Christoph Wagner’s, D. Johann Fausten’s Famuli, welcher auch nach seines Herren Absterben einen Geist durch Hülff und Kunst desselben bekommen, darinnen was ihm derselbe gedienet und zuwege bracht, auch was er mit ihm vorgehabt, ordentlich zu befinden. First Chapter of the Histories Christoph Wagner’s D. Johann Faustens’s Apprentice (Famuli), or, what happens when one summons a spirit, through help and magic, this is one of the foremost contraindications to get involved.
From Scheible’s “Das Kloster…” 1846 Zweites Kapitel. Wie Christoph Wagner nach Abgang D. Fauste’s einen Geist bekommen. Second Chapter. On how Christoph Wagner, after D. Faust’s departure, received a spirit.
From Scheible’s “Das Kloster…” 1846 Siebentes Kapitel. Wie Christoph Wagner seinen Geist Auerhan nach seines Herrn D. Johann Fausti Todt zum erstenmahl citirete, und wie es ihm damit erginge. Seventh Chapter. On how Christoph Wagner cited for first time his spirit Akercock (Auerhan) in the manner of his lord D. Johann Faust, and how he attained him.
From Scheible’s “Das Kloster…” 1846 Achtes Kapitel. Wie Wagner seinem Geist Auerhan die Faust gab und angelobte, daß er des bösen Geistes eigenthümlich in Ewigkeit seyn wolte, und was sich auch mehr zugetragen mit seiner Beschreibung Eight Chapter. On how Wagner his spirit Auerhahn, which he was given and praised by Faust, and that he wished forever to remain an evil spirit, and what else happened in this account.
From Scheible’s “Das Kloster…” 1846 Neuntes Kapitel. Vermahnung an den gutherzigen Leser, dass sich niemand der Zauberey gebrauchen solle. Ninth Chapter. Admonition to the kind reader, for no one is to make use of magic.
From Scheible’s “Das Kloster…” 1846
From Scheible’s “Das Kloster…” 1846
From Scheible’s “Das Kloster…” 1846
From Scheible’s “Das Kloster…” 1846
From Scheible’s “Das Kloster…” 1846
From Scheible’s “Das Kloster…” 1846
From Scheible’s “Das Kloster…” 1846
Engraving from Paris, XIXth century, and it depicts Saint Cyprian in the moment of conjuring devils, inside a magic circle, beside him an angel and running away three devils, while Saint Justine is down on her knees praying.
Courtesy of Felix Castro Vicente
