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Wikimedia Commons · Public domain · Hover to magnify, click for fullscreen
Original fileIn this dramatic lithograph, Macbeth confronts the trio of witches amidst a swirling, atmospheric mist. The scene centers on a glowing cauldron that illuminates the figures, highlighting the dynamic gestures of the witches as they gesture toward the warrior. The rough, energetic lines capture the dark, supernatural tension of the Shakespearean encounter.
The scene represents the intersection of political ambition and the illicit occult arts, reflecting the early modern preoccupation with the dangers of divination and the disruption of the natural order by malefic magic. It resonates with contemporary Renaissance demonological treatises concerning the pacts between mortals and subterranean powers.
MACBETH. Toil and trouble: Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. Lith. de G. Engelmann.
William Shakespeare, Macbeth
The print is a direct visual adaptation of the pivotal incantation scene in Act IV of Shakespeare's tragedy.
Object
Lithograph
genre-scene
Digital Source
Unknown · Public domain
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3.1-flash-lite-preview on April 15, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.