REFORMATION ATTITUDE TO WITCHES

Martin Luther (1483-1546): two quotes on witches:  

l.   "When I was a child, there were many witches & sorcerers, who bewitched
both cattle & men, but especially children, & did great harm.  But now in the
light of the gospel, these things are not so commonly heard of, for the gospel
thrusts out the devil." Commentary on Galatians  (1531)
       Optimistic attitude about the power of Christianity over demons and witches
       in early Reformation; early Christian attitudes about sorcery were similar.

2.  "I would have no compassion on these witches; I would burn all of them."
       Table Talk (l540's)   
       The second quote reflects the increasing pessimism Luther felt later in his life
       as it became clear that the Gospel had not eliminated popular entrenched use
       of magic and "superstitious" beliefs.

IMAGES OF DEMONS, APOCALYPSE & DEATH IN EUROPEAN ART, 15-16th C.

I.  16th C. German Reformation Propaganda Woodcuts
      Lucas Cranach, woodcuts of Martin Luther, the Monk Calf; the Papal Ass

II. Demons: Hieronymus Bosch (1450?-1516, Netherlands)
                     Temptations of St. Anthony (in Madrid, Brussels, Lisbon)
                      Garden of Earthly Delights:  right panel: Musical Hell
    Temptations of St. Anthony: variations on the theme by
             Martin Schongauer (15th C. Germany)
             Matthias Grunewald (16th C. Germany)
             Isenheim Altarpiece, 1512-1515:  panel on St. Anthony  
             Nikolaus Deutsch 1520

III. Theme of the Apocalypse: Christ versus Anti-Christ
     Albrecht Durer (1471-1528, Germany)
           Apocalypse Series, 1496-97:
      Four Horsemen of Apocalypse: (war, famine, plague, revolution)
      Seven Headed Dragon; St. Michael Fighting the Dragon
      The Beast with Two Horns; Adoration of the Lamb

IV. Theme of Death
      Albrecht Durer: Knight, Death & the Devil
            Woman Attacked by Death
      Hans Holbein (16th C. Germany):
          Dance of Death Series: alphabetical series;
                    starts with Adam & Eve; includes all social types
      Hans Baldung-Grien (16th C. Germany):
            Three Ages of Woman & Death; Seven Ages of Woman (realistic)
            Three Ages of Woman & Death (moralistic); Death & a Woman 1519

V.  Renaissance Natural Magic (Ficino)
      Botticelli (15th C. Florence): Primavera (Springtime); Birth of Venus (1480)     
            interpretation of these paintings as"Ficinian talismans":
            theory of  "natural magic" drawing on forces of positive,
           benign planets: Venus, Jupiter (jovial) & Sun (geocentric univerise)
                     (Frances Yates, Giordano Bruno & Hermetic Tradition)