Anonymous,Catherine de’ Medici and the Sorcerer, print for The Turkish Spy, 18th century
Charles Ransonnette (1793–1877),The Predictions of Nostradamus, print for Nostradamus’s Influence on the Government of France from the Publication of His Prophecies in 1555 to the Present Day, print, 19th century, gift from the Friends of the Museum
Magic and witchcraft were practices condemned by both the Catholic Church and the political authorities. Yet powerful figures, always eager to know what the future might hold, did not hesitate to turn to them. One such figure was Cosme Ruggieri (15..–1615), an Italian astrologer who came to the Valois court and became one of Catherine de Medici’s closest advisers. His influence was such that he was thought to have affected certain political decisions, and it contributed to accusations of witchcraft levelled against the queen.
Such attacks helped tarnish the reputation of women, particularly those who were independent, unconventional or powerful. A jealous wife, a Machiavellian regent manipulated by her magicians, a heretic in the eyes of Catholics, the instigator of the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre… the accusations against Catherine de Medici were damning.
In this engraving, the queen, anxious about her possible infertility, sees in the mirror of Nostradamus (1503–1566) her prestigious and fertile descendants appear before her. The caricature also gives a religious dimension to anti-Italian sentiment, which resurfaced with the arrival of a new queen, Marie de Medici.
César de Nostradamus (1553–1629) was the son of the famous astrologer. As First Consul of Salon-de-Provence, he welcomed Marie de Medici as she travelled to France to marry Henry IV. During this reception, he recalled the prophecy his father had made to Catherine de Medici 36 years earlier, predicting that the Navarre branch would ascend the French throne. To predict the future was to make a pact with the devil.
In two lithographs, the devil is shown alongside Harlequin, a literary and theatrical character who emerged in the XVIth century. Harlequin inspired his writing and his works, just as he inspired the author of the book Arlequin auteur and its illustrator, who was known for his satirical and political lithographs. These works denounced the failings of the successive French political regimes since the Revolution, while asserting a certain freedom of thought.
Abracadabra ?
Witches and wizards are often shown as mysterious or frightening-looking characters.
They might be fortune-tellers, healers or spell-casters. To cast a spell, they need the right objects, the right words and the right gestures. Everything has to be done at a specific time, often at night and sometimes on a particular date.
The devil himself was sometimes believed to have helped write certain spells or to guide the actions, words or gestures of people who behaved badly.
