Ancient Magic and the Supernatural in the Modern Visual and Performing Arts

354 Pages·2015·14.128 MB·English

by  Filippo Carlà (editor), Irene Berti (editor)

Ancient Magic and the Supernatural
in the Modern Visual and
Performing Arts
Bloomsbury Studies in Classical Reception
Bloomsbury Studies in Classical Reception presents scholarly monographs
offering new and innovative research and debate to students and scholars in the
reception of Classical Studies. Each volume will explore the appropriation,
reconceptualization and recontextualization of various aspects of the Graeco-
Roman world and its culture, looking at the impact of the ancient world on
modernity. Research will also cover reception within antiquity, the theory and
practice of translation, and reception theory.
Imagining Xerxes, Emma Bridges
Ovid’s Myth of Pygmalion on Screen, Paula James
Ancient Magic and the Supernatural
in the Modern Visual and
Performing Arts
Edited by Filippo Carlà and Irene Berti
Bloomsbury Academic
An imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
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BLOOMSBURY and the Diana logo are trademarks of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
First published 2015
Paperback edition fi rst published 2016
© Filippo Carlà, Irene Berti and Contributors 2015
Filippo Carlà and Irene Berti have asserted their right under the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act, 1988, to be identifi ed as Editors of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording,
or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing
from the publishers.
No responsibility for loss caused to any individual or organization acting on or refraining
from action as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by Bloomsbury or
the author.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN: HB: 978–1–47252–783–7
PB: 978–1–35000–794–9
ePDF: 978–1–47252–738–7
ePub: 978–1–47253–221–3
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ancient magic and the supernatural in the modern visual and performing arts / edited by
Filippo Carlà and Irene Berti.
pages cm. – (Bloomsbury studies in classical reception)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4725-2783-7 (hardback)
1. Magic in art. 2. Supernatural in art 3. Art and mythology. 4. Art–Themes, motives.
5. Art, Modern–History. 6. Performing arts–History. 7. Art and society–History. 8. Art and
religion–History. 9. Group identity–History. I. Carlà, Filippo. II. Berti, Irene.
N8222.M3A53 2015
700’.47—dc23
2015005739
Typeset by Refi neCatch Limited, Bungay, Suffolk
Printed and bound in Great Britain
Contents
List of Illustrations vii
List of Contributors ix
1 Magic and the Supernatural from the Ancient World: An
Introduction Irene Berti and Filippo Carlà 1
2 Gods and Demons in Texts: Figures and Symbols of the
Defixion Inscriptions of the Nymphaeum of Anna Perenna
at Rome Jürgen Blänsdorf 19
3 Imaging Magic, Imaging Thinking: The Transmission of
Greek Drama from Sophocles to Crimp Lorna Hardwick 39
4 Celtic Magic and Rituals in The War Lord (F. Schaffner, 1965)
Domitilla Campanile 55
5 Witch, Sorceress, Enchantress: Magic and Women from the Ancient
World to the Present Giovanna Rocca and Martina Treu 67
6 Circe Diva: The Reception of Circe in the Baroque Opera
(seventeenth century) Pepa Castillo Pascual 79
7 Medea, a Greek Sorceress in Modern Opera and Ballet: From
Barber to Reimann Jesús Carruesco and Montserrat Reig 93
8 Colchian Pharmaka: The Colours of Medea in Nineteenth- century
Painting in France and England Adeline Grand-Clément and
Charlotte Ribeyrol 103
9 Canidia and Erichtho: Snapshots from their Postclassical Life
Christine Walde 119
vi Contents
10 Project(ion) Wonder Woman: Metamorphoses of a Superheroine
Andreas Gietzen and Marion Gindhart 135
11 Ancient Horrors: Cinematic Antiquity and the Undead
Martin Lindner 151
12 The Phoenix, the Werewolf and the Centaur: The Reception of
Mythical Beasts in the Harry Potter Novels and their Film
Adaptations Dagmar Hofmann 163
13 Theoi Becoming Kami: Classical Mythology in the Anime World
Maria G. Castello and Carla Scilabra 177
14 Everypony Has a Story: Revisions of Greco-Roman Mythology in
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Priscilla Hobbs 197
15 The Depraved Devotion of Elagabalus: Images of the
Priest- emperor in the Visual and Performing Arts Martijn Icks 211
16 Women and Religion in Epic Films: The Fifties’ Advocate for
Christian Conversion and Today’s Pillar of Paganism?
Anja Wieber 225
Notes 241
Bibliography 293
Index 325
List of Illustrations
2.1 Abraxas with acronym of Jesus Christ. 24
2.2 Abraxas inscription. 26
2.3 Wax puppet of Petronius Cornigus. 28
2.4 Defixion of Quirinus Pistor. 31
2.5 Defixion of Sura. 32
7.1 The imprisonment of Medea in Aribert Reimann’s Medea. 98
8.1 Eugene Delacroix, Furious Medea or Medea About to Kill
her Children (1838). 104
8.2 Edward Burne-Jones, Hypsiphile and Medea (1864). 112
8.3 Gustave Moreau, Jason and Medea (1865). 115
9.1 Stage picture from Der Bürgerkrieg. 128
9.2 Internet presences of Erichtho. 129
10.1 Wonder Woman’s debut appearance in All Star Comics #8
(December/January 1941/42). 136
10.2 WW Vol. 1, #178 (September 1968): front cover. 144
10.3 Ms. Magazine #1 (July 1972): front cover. 146
10.4 Lynda Carter alias Wonder Woman. 148
15.1 A bloody animal sacrifice to Elagabal. 214
15.2 Simeon Solomon, Heliogabalus, High Priest of the Sun (1866). 218
15.3 Gustav Adolf-Mossa, Lui (1906). 219
15.4 Louis Couperus caricatured as Elagabalus; cartoon
from De Roskam (1915). 223
16.1 Screenshot from the movie The Robe (1953). 229
16.2 Scan of the advertisement for Lux soap in Woman’s Home
Companion. 232
16.3 Movie poster for the 1963 re- release of The Robe. 234
16.4 Spanish movie poster for Agora (2009). 239