The Spellcaster's Source Hoodoo and Voodoo Witchcraft Blog of Talia Felix

Antoine Wiertz was a popular Belgian artist of the 19th century. He painted a variety of subjects, many of which were perfectly pleasant , but the ones for which he is best known are dark subjects like a trainee witch , a vanitas and a premature burial.  He was successful in his lifetime and has a museum in Brussels dedicated solely to his artwork. One of Wiertz's most famous works was a triptych called, in English, The Visions of a Guillotined Head .  Sadly the original painting is now in poor condition (Wiertz wanted a paint that would resemble the matte look of a fresco, and to this end he created a paint medium which did not hold up well with time.) The art style is meant to resemble the works of Peter Paul Rubens .  But perhaps more interesting than the painting itself is the story of how the artist did his research into what it's like to be decapitated. I have translated from the original French given in a 19th century catalogue of his paintings. Vi...