Something Witchy

“Shadows mutter, mist replies; darkness purrs as midnight sighs.” — Rusty Fischer

It’s still Halloween in California, so before I head out to see the local Halloween decorations, here are some seasonal images of my favorite books, illustrations and paintings depicting Witchcraft, and a smattering of my own photos…

I saw this in a bookstore and had to have it for my bookshelf. I love the retro nature of the photos in What Witches Do by Stewart Farrar. An eye-witness account of Wiccan practices, namely that of the Alexandrian coven run by Alex Sanders and his wife Maxine Sanders, who’s featured on the cover.

I couldn’t resist the Book Club hardback edition of this classic from 1967.

I remember this image used as a cover of a 12” single I had, but I never knew what it was until now. No Internet in the 80s! At last - I just found out today. Three Women and Three Wolves - (Drei Frauen und drei Wölfe) by Eugene Grasset, 1900.

The Love Potion by Evelyn de Morgan, 1903.

This article from Time Out magazine in 1982, had such a great portrait by Anna-Mei Chadwick that I kept it in my cuttings file, and actually inspired me to get some editorial photography work myself, the first being for Flexipop magazine No.32 in 1983.

I have most of William Mortensen’s photography books, and a couple of prints that I found at an ephemera fair. This one I have framed in the dining room. Preparation for the Sabbat by William Mortensen, 1927.

© Steve Cook 2024.

One of my own. The amazing Caroline Ridley-Faux on her Birthday, which is actually Halloween. Happy Birthday, Caroline!

Magic Circle by John William Waterhouse, 1886.

Photo: Steve Cook, 2003.

Another one I took of Caroline Ridley-Faux, this time as a well-known Sandman character for the cover of Vertigo X for DC Comics.

A beautifully designed book with the most incredible selection of imagery. Witchcraft by Taschen. Cover painting: Circe Invidiosa by John William Waterhouse 1892.

Départ pour le Sabbat by Albert Joseph Pénot, 1910.

Morgan le Fay by Frederick Sandys, 1864.

Departure of the Witches by Luis Ricardo Faléro, 1878.

Witches Sabbat French postcard c. 1910.

© Steve Cook 2024.

Another of my own… The Bayswater Witch: 1983.

Off for the Sabbat by William Mortensen, 1927.

Manko - VVITCH © 2024 Steve Cook.

The incredible Manko for Orbital Gallery’s Magick Eye II exhibition in 2012.

Muse of the Night by Luis Ricardo Faléro, 1880.

Circe Offering the Cup to Ulysses by John William Waterhouse, 1891.

Sindy magazine Halloween cover. Steve Cook, 1986.

And last but not least, just one more of mine… Marvel UK’s Sindy magazine cover. 1986.

Happy Halloween!

Addendum: Thanks to Jason Atomic’s comment below, I now know what the 12” single was that featured Three Women and Three Wolves by Eugene Grasset, it was UK Decay’s “Rising From the Dread”. Plus a cool piece of info relating to the first image in this post, that Manko, seen in my Magick Eye II image, performs as Maxine Sanders (at Maxine’s request) in a Green Lung video, linked in Jason’s comment below. As a nice book end to this post, here’s a screen grab of Manko as Maxine (Witch Queen).