Theological Demonology

These wax effigies were central to traditional Malay magical practices, where they served as conduits for sympathetic sorcery. The central figure, pierced with pins, demonstrates the ritualistic intent to influence or harm a specific individual through the manipulation of their likeness.

This striking portrait captures a West African ritual practitioner adorned in a dense, textured costume of palm and plantain leaves, topped with horned headgear and a carved wooden mask. The figure, armed with a spear and sword, embodies the complex intersection of spiritual authority and traditional performance documented by Robert Hamill Nassau in his study of regional customs.

This finely detailed engraving depicts Ernestus Cothman (1567–1624), a prominent German jurist and professor at the University of Rostock. He is shown in formal academic or professional attire, including a ruff and a heavy chain of office, reflecting his high social and intellectual standing during the early 17th century. The portrait is accompanied by his coat of arms and biographical text, serving as a commemorative illustration within this scholarly work.

This detailed engraving illustrates a Sami magic drum (goavddis) and its ritual use. The plate displays the drum's intricate symbolic surface, its hammer, and the reverse side, alongside a scene of a shaman (noaidi) performing a ceremony that includes a figure in a trance state. Such illustrations were crucial for 18th-century European scholars studying the indigenous spiritual practices of Northern Europe.

This illustration, titled 'The Punishment of Cutting asunder,' depicts a harrowing scene of execution from Chinese religious or judicial lore. Two figures are shown operating a large saw on a victim, a common motif in depictions of the punishments of hell. The scene is framed by traditional elements such as a pine tree, a ceremonial flag, and various polearms, reflecting the intricate moral and cosmological systems studied by J.J.M. de Groot.

This intricate engraving from Thomas Heywood's 1635 work depicts a celestial messenger descending from the heavens to interact with mortals on Earth. The composition masterfully contrasts the luminous, divine presence of the angel with the rustic setting of shepherds and the subtle presence of other spirits in the background. It serves as a visual introduction to the book's ninth tractate, exploring the relationship between the angelic hierarchy and the human world.

This portrait captures a 'Fetich Doctor' from West Africa, a figure central to the spiritual and medicinal practices of his community. He is distinguished by a 'professional tonsure'—a specific triangular patch of hair left on his shaved scalp. The image is a key ethnographic document from Robert Hamill Nassau's extensive study of West African customs at the turn of the 20th century.

This dramatic woodcut illustrates a scene from Ludwig Lavater's seminal work on ghosts and spirits, 'De Spectris, Lemuribus et Magnis Fragoribus'. It depicts a messenger delivering news to a cleric, surrounded by figures in prayer, while a smaller scene in the upper right shows a group gathered around a bed, possibly witnessing a supernatural event. The illustration captures the era's intense interest in the intersection of the physical and spiritual worlds.

This intricate engraving illustrates the 'Dominations,' the fourth rank in the celestial hierarchy as described by Thomas Heywood. A powerful angel is depicted wielding a sword and a cross, symbolizing divine authority and sacrifice, while below, a choir of angels encircles the Lamb of God. This work reflects the 17th-century fascination with categorizing the spiritual realm through detailed and evocative allegorical imagery.