Infinite Evilness 4/7
Demon doll Goya
by Pablo Lago
Based on Francisco de Goya y Lucientes’ depiction of the devil from the oil on canvas ‘Witches' Sabbath’, 1797-1798 (Museo de Lázaro Galdiano, Madrid, Spain).
Based on Francisco de Goya y Lucientes’ depiction of the devil from the oil on canvas ‘Witches' Sabbath’, 1797-1798 (Museo de Lázaro Galdiano, Madrid, Spain).
This piece shows the Devil in the form of a goat, surrounded by a coven of disfigured witches in a moonlit barren landscape. The goat possesses large horns and is crowned by a wreath of oak leaves.
The Devil seems to be acting as a sort of priest at an initiation ceremony for the children.Goya’s paintings like this have been seen as a protest against those who upheld and enforced the values of the Spanish Inquisition, which had been active in witch hunts for centuries.
It has also been said that 'Witches’ Sabbath' was painted in 1798 as a bitter struggle between liberals and those in favor of a church and state run by royalty.
Source: 'Art of the Devil' by Arturo Graf and Museo L´ázaro Galdiano
Infinite Evilness is a collection that explores different artistic representations of Evil throughout history, transformed into matrioshkas or russian dolls.