Witchcraft: The Library of Esoterica by Jessica Hundley & Pam Grossman (Hardback)

Initiating readers into the fascinating and complex history of witchcraft — from the goddess mythologies of ancient cultures to the contemporary embrace of the craft by modern artists and activists — this expansive volume conjures a breathtaking overview of an age-old tradition. It is the third volume in TASCHEN’s acclaimed Library of Esoterica series.

Rooted in legend, folklore and myth, the archetype of the witch has evolved across the centuries, from the tales of Odysseus and Circe to the Celtic seductress Cerridwen and the myth of Hecate, fierce ruler of the moonlit night. Here we survey her many incarnations, as she shape-shifts through time — mother, nymph and crone, seductress and destroyer by turns. Edited by Jessica Hundley and co-edited by author, scholar and practitioner Pam Grossman, this enthralling visual chronicle is the first of its kind: a deep dive into the symbologies of witchcraft, explored through the history of art itself.

The witch has long played muse to great artists, from the dark seductions of Goya and Dürer to the elegant magickal feminine reimagined by the Surrealist circle of Remedios Varo, Leonora Carrington and Leonor Fini. She has spellbound through folktale and drama too — the poison apples of the Brothers Grimm, the Weird Sisters at their cauldron in Macbeth, L. Frank Baum’s iconic Wicked Witch of the West. Across this entrancing visual voyage, we also witness the witch endure persecution and evolve into empowerment, a contemporary symbol of bold defiance and nonconformity, with enlightening essays and interviews from modern practitioners and authors including Kristen J. Sollée, Judika Illes and Madeline Miller.

Perfect for readers who love witchcraft, mythology and the occult, art and visual history, and the witch as a symbol of feminine power — and anyone after a beautiful, museum-grade volume to treasure.