Description
A witch seated in a landscape and accompanied by a monster is casting spells with macabre objects, including a human skull. Tassi specialized in the representation of landscapes and architecture. In this painting, he has imagined the forest as a place beyond civilization where demonic powers can be unleashed.
The belief in witchcraft was common during Tassi's time. In romance poetry, witches were often described as beautiful and seductive creatures, and Tassi painted his image in this vein. The motifof the witch is taken from a painting by Dosso Dossi, who had arrived in Rome ca. 1608 (for which see the catalog Nature et Ídeal, Le paysage à Rome 1600-1650 (Paris: Grand Palais, 2011), p. 182 (by Patrizia Cavazzini)
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