Man valt bovenop een geit 1730

This print, made by Louis Surugue, depicts a chaotic scene of supposed witchcraft. Observe the man falling onto the goat. This motif echoes classical depictions of satyrs, creatures of revelry and chaos, often associated with the goat-like god Pan. The goat itself, historically linked to pagan rituals, here symbolizes the primitive and untamed aspects of human nature, a conduit to the subconscious. Consider how this imagery resonates with earlier depictions of Dionysian rituals, where animal sacrifice and ecstatic dance blurred the lines between the human and animal, the rational and irrational. Just as these earlier symbols carried the weight of cultural memory, Surugue's image engages with the fear and fascination surrounding witchcraft. This fear, deeply embedded in the collective psyche, surfaces here as a potent symbol, a reminder of the primal forces lurking beneath the surface of civilized society. These symbols form a continuous thread, resurfacing throughout history in various guises.