Circe drinkend c. 1520 - 1550

This chiaroscuro woodcut depicts Circe offering a potion, created by Antonio da Trento around 1530-1550. Here, the enchantress Circe offers a transformative draught to Odysseus's men, turning them into beasts. Notice the cup, an ancient symbol of offering, whether of life or death, here wielded with potent, dark magic. The image of transformation resonates through time. We see echoes in ancient myths of metamorphosis and in the alchemical quest for transmutation. Circe's gesture, offering the cup, is not unlike Eve offering the apple: a moment of fateful choice. Consider how this motif reappears. From medieval allegories of temptation to modern tales of metamorphosis, the act of offering and transformation carries a powerful charge. It speaks to our deepest fears and desires: the loss of control, the allure of the forbidden, and the ever-present potential for change. It is a potent reminder of the cyclical nature of human experience.