Bilder der Wunderkunst und des Aberglaubens

A richly illustrated compendium, this volume gathers the ideas that shaped early modern attitudes toward the “wonder‑art” of magic and the superstitions that surrounded it. With twenty vivid plates alternating in colour and black ink, readers encounter the symbols, sigils and strange diagrams once used by figures such as Paracelsus, Agrippa and other enigmatic scholars. The introduction frames magic as a natural science seeking hidden forces, while also warning how belief can slip into mere superstition.

The work is organized into three parts: an exploration of magical theory, a survey of folklore‑borne superstitions, and a collection of ghostly sightings that are occasionally tempered with rational explanations. Brief fragments on secretive religious sects and mystics add further texture, presenting a panorama of how different cultures—from Celtic druids to Siberian shamans—conceived of unseen powers. Listeners are invited to wander through a world where curiosity, fear and the desire to command nature intersect in vivid, historically grounded storytelling.