On female witches and woodcuts : Ulrich Molitor’s De lamiis et pythonicis mulieribus

The present Master’s thesis seeks to develop a better understanding of two influential series of witchcraft prints and drawings: the woodcuts of Ulrich Molitor’s De lamiis et pythonicis mulieribus and three of Hans Baldung’s works. I will begin with a discussion of the role that gender played during the witch trials and how it influenced two of the woodcuts in De lamiis. Following the discussion of gender, I will examine the remaining De lamiis woodcuts in the context of the text and other visual sources. Finally, I will end with three of Hans Baldung’s witchcraft images, describing how they reflected and expanded established motifs.