Projet d'illustration pour Macbeth - entrée des sorcières 

Luc-Olivier Merson rendered this illustration project for Macbeth, capturing the eerie entrance of the witches. The scene is shrouded in a palette of browns and greys, from which emerge sinister figures and a black cat, all archetypes of witchcraft. Consider the image of the witch. From the ancient Thessalian witches, masters of herbs and potions, to the medieval depictions of crones consorting with demons, this figure embodies primal fears and societal anxieties. Observe the witches’ outstretched arms, reminiscent of the ‘Orans’ gesture, an ancient posture of prayer or supplication. How has this gesture been inverted here? It is no longer directed towards the divine, but towards darker powers. Notice also the presence of the black cat, a traditional familiar, a symbol of the witch’s connection to the animal world and her ability to transcend human limitations. These symbols tap into a collective memory, a reservoir of archetypes that evoke a visceral response. They remind us that images are not merely representations but carriers of powerful emotional and psychological forces. They resurface, evolving, taking on new meanings in different historical contexts, yet always tethered to their primordial origins.