The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of November 28, 2023

The Deities: Demogorgon in the Cave of Eternity

1588–90

Hendrick Goltzius

(Dutch, 1558–1617)

Netherlands, 16th century

Chiaroscuro woodcut

Overall: 34.9 x 26.2 cm (13 3/4 x 10 5/16 in.)

Gift of The Print Club of Cleveland 1952.204

Catalogue raisonné: Hollstein 374 (VIII)

Location

not on view

Description

Not all witches were women; men also performed magic. Unlike the destructive and sexualized stereotypes of female witches, male magicians were likened to the philosophers, alchemists, or heroic scientists of the Renaissance. In Goltzius's print, which was so popular it was reprinted as late as the 19th century, the central male figure is Demogorgon, the omnipotent father of all gods. Although Demogorgon was feared as the "Demon-gorgon," a terror who could unleash his primordial power, Goltzius portrays the god as a wizened and magical force who uses his power to give form to the world.

Exhibition history

The Cleveland Museum of Art (2/15/2015 - 6/14/2015); "The Novel and the Bizarre: Salvator Rosa's Scenes of Witchcraft"

Department of Prints and Drawings Opening Exhibition. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (March 3, 1958-October 11, 1959).

Prints and Drawings from the Cleveland Museum of Art Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (May 6-September 9, 1965).

The Print Club of Cleveland, 1919 - 1969: Fifty Years in Review. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (January 14-March 31, 1970).

Eight Masters of the Print. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (October 14, 1980-January 18, 1981).

Printing in Color. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 10-November 17, 1985).

The Novel and the Bizarre: Salvator Rosa's Scenes of Witchcraft. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 15-June 14, 2015).

Source URL: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1952.204