Witches and Wicked Bodies is a show at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, in Edinburgh, Scotland, that will run from Jul 27th through Nov 3rd, 2013. See also Witches: from hideous hags to sexy sirens — in pictures for a preview.

William Blake, The Whore of Babylon, (1809)

“Delve into the world of Witches and Wicked Bodies in this major new exhibition coming in summer 2013.

Discover how witches and witchcraft have been depicted by artists over the past 500 years, including works by Albrecht Dürer, Francisco de Goya and William Blake, plus pieces by 20th century artists such as Paula Rego and Kiki Smith.

Through 16th and 17th century prints and drawings, learn how the advent of the printing press allowed artists and writers to share ideas, myths and fears about witches from country to country.

Including major works on loan from the British Museum, the National Gallery (London), Tate, the Victoria & Albert Museum, as well as works from the Galleries’ own collections, Witches and Wicked Bodies will be an investigation of extremes, exploring the highly exaggerated ways in which witches have been represented, from hideous hags to beautiful seductresses.

Supported by the Patrons of the National Galleries of Scotland.” [via]

“The Witches and Wicked Bodies exhibition coming soon to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art explores how myth, legend and folk belief have shaped the depiction of witches over the past 500 years. Packed with sensuality and magic, these works show why witchcraft has cast a spell on artists for so long” [via]