Tovenaars in de stormwind 1888

James Ensor, in his print *Wizards in the Storm Wind,* conjures a wild scene of figures riding broomsticks across a turbulent sky. The broom, a long-standing symbol of domesticity, is here subverted, transformed into a vehicle for chaos and the supernatural. Consider how the witch on a broomstick motif has evolved since its first appearance in the *Le Champion des Dames* manuscript of 1451. This woodcut presents a female figure carrying a stick, prefiguring the later image of the witch. The broom symbolizes more than just transportation; it embodies the fear of female power and the disruption of social order. The fear and fascination surrounding witchcraft taps into deep-seated collective anxieties. The broom, once a symbol of mundane chores, becomes charged with occult power. The stormy wind adds another layer, evoking a primal fear of nature's uncontrollable forces. The artist seems to be channeling collective memories and subconscious fears, engaging us on a primal level with this image. The cyclical recurrence of these symbols through art history shows us how primal fears are continuously reinterpreted across time.