Perspectivische Vorstellung des berühmten Blocken oder Blokenbergs... 1732... 1749 /...

Rare and sought-after engraving with the view of the Brocken in the Harz Mountains with witches and demons circling in the sky. This is the first edition, still without the additional explanation in the left part, printed in 1749 by Homann Erben in Nuremberg.

The depiction is based on a drawing from 1732 by L. S. Bestekorn and is considered the earliest artistic view of the Brocken. Within the seemingly unreal topography, numerous prominent places are marked. Among them are Wernigerode, Halberstadt, Derenburg and Hasselfelde.

As early as in the 14th century, the Brocken was said in a poem to be a gathering place of ghostly beings. The term witch has only been common since the 16th century. Since the witch hunts, defendants were accused of participating in witch gatherings, for example during the Walpurgis Night. The Brocken was first described as a meeting place for witches and as a witches' dance place in 1540. Even today, the term Blocksberg is still used in connection with witch legends, and the Brocken is still regarded as the legendary scene of Walpurgis Night. The witches and demons drawn between earth and sky in this fascinating engraving refer to this.

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Lower Saxony - Homann Erben - Perspectivische Vorstellung des berühmten...