The Salem witch trials, which took place in the late 17th century in colonial Massachusetts, have been the subject of numerous artistic interpretations. This dark chapter in history has inspired artists and creators to explore themes of hysteria, injustice, and the supernatural. One of the most iconic pieces of art related to the Salem witch trials is Arthur Miller's play, "The Crucible." Written in the 1950s during the height of the McCarthy era, the play draws a parallel between the trials and the anti-communist witch hunts of the time. "The Crucible" has been widely performed and studied, cementing its place as a classic piece of American literature. In addition to literature, the Salem witch trials have been depicted in visual art as well.
Reckoning With—and Reclaiming—the Salem Witch Trials
Elizabeth How was around 56 years old when her neighbors accused her of practicing witchcraft in 1692.
“God knows I am innocent,” said How (also spelled Howe), who lived in colonial Massachusetts with her husband and their six children, during an examination. Her 94-year-old father-in-law, James How Sr., came to her aid, testifying that she had been a “Christian” wife to his son, James How Jr., who went blind at age 50: “Considering his want of eye sight [she] tenderly [led] him about by hand.”
These testimonies offer poignant evidence of one of the worst mass hysteria events in American history, the Salem Witch Trials. Residents of Salem and nearby towns accused more than 150 of their own of practicing “the Devil’s magic,” as Jess Blumberg wrote for Smithsonian magazine in 2007. Sham legal proceedings led to the deaths of 25 innocent people—including How, who was hanged for her “crimes” later that year, reports Pamela Reynolds for WBUR.
Thanks to an ongoing exhibition at the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem, internet users can now explore a handful of transcribed records from the witch hunt—among them, files related to How’s case. Per a statement, the museum houses the world’s largest collection of Salem Witch Trials materials, including more than 500 documents from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
Tape loom owned by Rebecca Putnam, sister of Salem Witch Trials accuser Ann Putnam, 1690–1710 © Peabody Essex Museum / Photograph by Kathy Tarantola Record of the examination of Elizabeth How on May 31, 1692 © Peabody Essex Museum
On view through March 2022, “The Salem Witch Trials: Reckoning and Reclaiming” juxtaposes 17th-century artifacts with contemporary artists’ responses to the tragic event. Objects on display include a trunk that belonged to infamous judge Jonathan Corwin and a petition to a Boston court, signed by 32 longtime neighbors, asserting the innocence of Elizabeth and John Proctor. (Despite his neighbors’ pleas, John was executed by hanging in August 1692, while Elizabeth was found guilty but granted a stay of execution because she was pregnant. Arthur Miller’s 1953 play The Crucible dramatizes the couple’s story.)
The exhibition also seeks to contextualize the trials, which took place against the backdrop of smallpox outbreaks, threats from nearby Indigenous tribes and political instability, notes Katie White for Artnet News. Motivated by xenophobia and fear, people of all ages sought out scapegoats among their friends, family and neighbors. Many of the accused were outsiders in Salem’s rigid Puritan society before they were singled out as agents of the devil. Examples include Bridget Bishop, a “party girl apparently too fond of bright colors,” in the words of the New York Times’ Shane Mitchell, and Tituba, an enslaved Carib woman who was the first person to be accused.
“These accusations were grounded in fear,” co-curator Lydia Gordon tells the Times. “They were grounded in jealousy and land disputes and money. And it may look different, but this fear, and this needing to control mostly women, or people that fall outside of a heteronormative society? Well, we see this still today.”
An evening dress from Alexander McQueen's "In Memory of Elizabeth How, Salem, 1692," collection Gift of anonymous donors / © 2019 Peabody Essex Museum / Photograph by Bob Packert
The second part of the show takes a modern turn, exploring how descendants of the accused reckoned with the trauma that their ancestors endured. Legendary fashion designer Alexander McQueen, for instance, was a distant descendant of How.
After traveling to Salem and studying How’s trial testimony, McQueen was inspired to create a 2007 couture collection of sumptuous gowns titled “In Memory of Elizabeth How, Salem 1692.” Now on display at the museum, the designs favor dark colors—traditionally considered a violation of Puritan sumptuary laws because they required excessive amounts of dye—and Gothic elements. One formfitting velvet gown features theatrical references to witchcraft, including a high collar and a starburst of hand-sewn bugle sequins that functions as a “sartorial amulet,” per Artnet News.
Also included are 13 portraits of modern-day witches from photographer Frances F. Denny’s series Major Arcana: Portraits of Witches in America. Denny is a descendant of both Salem judge Samuel Sewall and Northampton resident Mary Bliss Parsons, who was accused of witchcraft but acquitted by a Boston court in 1675, reports the Times.
The artist spent three years photographing dozens of people who identify as witches, including those who practice as herbalists, tarot readers and medicine women.
“Witch’ is a word that has a lot of baggage,” Denny tells WBUR. “So, there’s something really poignant about the fact that these individuals have reclaimed it from these shadowy origins and turned it into something powerful.”
Frances F. Denny, Marie and Ébun, 2016, from Major Arcana: Portraits of Witches in America series Courtesy of the artist and ClampArt, New York, NY Frances F. Denny, Alex, 2016, from Major Arcana: Portraits of Witches in America series Courtesy of the artist and ClampArt, New York, NY
Outside of the art world, Salem’s sordid history continues to resonate in manifold ways. This August, a group of eighth-grade students proposed a piece of Massachusetts legislation clearing the name of Elizabeth Johnson Jr., a 22-year-old woman accused of witchcraft during the trials. Condemned to die but granted a reprieve before her execution, she’s the only Salem “witch” still in need of an official pardon, reports William J. Kole for the Associated Press (AP).
“It’s important to not forget that these tragedies didn’t happen that long ago,” Gordon tells the Times. “And so I think one of the things that the contemporary artists really put in this exhibition is a conversation of how we continue to use our voices to rise up against injustice.”
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Nora McGreevy is a former daily correspondent for Smithsonian. She is also a freelance journalist based in Chicago whose work has appeared in Wired, Washingtonian, the Boston Globe, South Bend Tribune, the New York Times and more.
The Salem Witch Trials: Reckoning and Reclaiming
More than 300 years after the Salem witch trials, the personal tragedies and grievous wrongs that occurred still provoke reflection as we continue to reckon with the experiences of those involved. In this exhibition, learn more about factors that fueled the storied crisis, including individuals who rose to defend those unjustly accused, and explore two creative responses by contemporary artists with ancestral links to the trials. Both projects directly speak to the historical trauma evident in the authentic 17th-century documents and objects on view and provide a powerful connection between past and present.
The fashion designer Alexander McQueen’s Fall/Winter 2007 collection In Memory of Elizabeth How, 1692 was based on research into his ancestor Elizabeth How, one of the first women to be condemned and hanged as a witch in July 1692. McQueen’s work reclaims How’s power and memory from the false accusation that led to her unjust execution. He also mined historic symbols of witchcraft, paganism, religious persecution, and magic as potent inspiration for his fashion design.
Photographer Frances F. Denny’s series Major Arcana: Portraits of Witches in America reclaims the meaning of the word “witch” from its historical use as a tool to silence and control women. Her portraits re-envision witchery by celebrating the spectrum of identities and spiritual practices found in today’s witch community.
In this exhibition, a multitude of voices will share their personal histories and perspectives, drawn from authentic documents, artist statements, and interviews.
Share your impressions with us on social media using #1692witchtrials
The Salem Witch Trials: Reckoning and Reclaiming is organized by the Peabody Essex Museum. Thank you to PEM supporters, Carolyn and Peter S. Lynch and The Lynch Foundation and individuals who support the Exhibition Incubation Fund: Jennifer and Andrew Borggaard, James B. and Mary Lou Hawkes, Kate and Ford O'Neil, and Henry and Callie Brauer. We also recognize the generosity of the East India Marine Associates of the Peabody Essex Museum.
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TOP IMAGE: Alexander McQueen, Evening dress, from the In Memory of Elizabeth How, Salem, 1692, Ready-to-wear collection, fall/winter 2007. Velvet, glass beads and satin. Gift of anonymous donors in London who are friends of Peabody Essex Museum, 2011.44.1. © 2019 Peabody Essex Museum. Photo by Bob Packert/PEM.
At a time when the term “witch hunt” has gained renewed agency. the deliberately non-touristy exhibition at the august Peabody Essex, which has the largest collection of original material related to the trials, reminds us that history can repeat itself.
A New Exhibition Gets at the Truth Behind the Salem Witch Trials. In Some Ways, It’s Scarier Than the Lore
The Peabody Essex Museum's show reveals chilling primary documents and draws eerie parallels with our current cultural moment.
Katie White, September 30, 2021
Courtesy of the Peabody Essex Museum.It is among the darker chapters in American colonial history: In the spring of 1692, three girls in Salem, Massachusetts, came forward claiming to be possessed by the devil and accused several local women of witchcraft against them. The accusations unleashed waves of panic in the Puritanical colonial society, and in a few short months, more than 200 people would stand accused. Five men and 16 women would be wrongly hanged.
Even 300 years on, the Salem witch trials retain their grip on the popular imagination. A new exhibition, “The Salem Witch Trials: Reckoning and Reclaiming,” at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, is taking a closer look at this often-sensationalized period to see how these events unfolded in real life, through contemporaneous letters and objects, then connects and juxtaposes these 17th-century realities with the contemporary surge in witch culture today.
Brass sundial, dated 1644, owned by John Proctor. Courtesy of the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem.
Entering the exhibition, visitors are pitched headlong into the frenzy via a bevy of primary source documents relating to the trials and accusations (these documents, which belong to the Peabody Essex Library, can be explored online here ). Conditions in the colony had been dire in the preceding months, one learns: extreme cold, a fuel shortage, a recent outbreak of smallpox, political instability, and skirmishes with local Native American tribes had all begat a population particularly receptive to scapegoating.
Among these documents are testimonials in defense of John and Elizabeth Proctor, a local landowner and his wife, who would both be convicted of witchcraft and sentenced to death (John would be executed, but Elizabeth, who was pregnant at the time, would be granted a stay and ultimately survive the trials). Playwright Arthur Miller immortalized the Proctors for modern audiences in The Crucible, but these sepia-toned documents are, frankly, even more riveting. One letter in defense of the Proctors was signed by 32 of their neighbors—a bold gesture, considering that many people, including John Proctor, were accused after coming to another’s defense. The letter in the end made no difference to the Proctors’ fate.
Instead, like many objects on view, it embodies community tensions and contradictions that played out in real time—in which the velocity of hearsay muffled more level-headed calls for calm. However, the documents also show how quickly a community can change; o nly ten years after the trials, courts declared them unjust; and by 1711, reparation payments were being made to the descendants of those hanged.
Examination of Elizabeth How, May 31, 1692, on deposit at the Peabody’s Phillips Library from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives. Photo © Peabody Essex Museum, Salem.
One fascinating section of the exhibition is devoted to Elizabeth How, one of the first women hanged for witchcraft in July 1692. How, it turns out, was also an ancestor of the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen (McQueen’s mother discovered the connection while exploring family genealogy). McQueen would name his 2007 Fall/Winter collection “In Memory of Elizabeth How, 1692.” The exhibition features one of these gowns, in which the Scottish designer has reappropriated traditional symbols of witchcraft and paganism, transforming them into something like sartorial amulets for women.
Alexander McQueen, evening dress from the “In Memory of Elizabeth How, Salem, 1692” collection, fall/winter 2007. Photo: Bob Packert, © Peabody Essex Museum, Salem.
(Also not to be missed: the museum is concurrently exhibiting an 18-piece collection inspired by the Salem witch trials made by Boston-based fashion designer Ashley Rose).
Though not as eye-catching as McQueen’s dazzling creations, the firsthand records relating to How’s trial give a bone-chilling sense of the danger and stakes. One document, titled “Examination of Elizabeth How, May 31, 1692” and written in a cryptic script, provides a transcription of the accusations made by Mercy Lewis, Mary Walcot, and Ann Putnam, including that How had choked, injured, and sickened people using witchcraft.
How’s responses are defiant and clear: “God knows I am innocent of any thing in this nature,” she says in one passage, later saying she doesn’t even know the women accusing her. “Have not you seen some apparition?” she is asked. “No, never in all my life,” she responds. “Those that have confessed, they tell us they used images & pins, now tell us what you have used,” they press, prodding her about witchcraft. “You would not have me confess that which I know not,” she retorts.
One of How’s accusers, Ann Putnam, would accuse some 62 people of witchcraft that year. Fascinatingly—and indicative of the contradictions of the time—the museum has on view a wooden tape loom belonging to Rebecca Putnam, a relative of Ann’s. Though the Putnam family were among the most active accusers, the loom itself bears folkloric carvings associated with magic and the occult.
Frances F. Denny, Shine, New York, NY (2017) from “Major Arcana: Portraits of Witches in America.” Courtesy of the artist.
Bringing the exhibition into the contemporary moment is photographer Frances F. Denny’s “Major Arcana: Portraits of Witches in America,” a series of 13 portraits of women who identify as witches today. The complex women that Denny presents offer a spectrum of identities, and the portraits are accompanied by essays describing a range of practices. Denny is herself the descendant of both a victim of the trials and Samuel Sewall, a judge who stoked the public mania.
Dan Lipcan, co-curator of “The Salem Witch Trials,” sees the exhibition as a warning against a kind of panic-driven groupthink to which no era is immune. “This exhibition is timely because we continue to witness injustice today, and we can learn from the lessons of the Salem witch trials by being more tolerant, more forgiving, and more charitable,” he said. “People are still dehumanized because they do not conform to a Eurocentric, patriarchal, heteronormative ‘standard.’ In part, we wanted to celebrate the many ways of being in this world and show that there is truth and justice in allowing people to define themselves on their own terms.”
“The Salem Witch Trials: Reckoning and Reclaiming” is on view at the Peabody Essex Museum, 161 Essex Street, Salem, Massachusetts, September 18, 2021–March 20, 2022.
In addition to literature, the Salem witch trials have been depicted in visual art as well. Many artists have created paintings and illustrations representing the events and the people involved. These artworks often capture the fear and paranoia that consumed the town during the trials.
Some artists focus on the accused witches themselves, showcasing their suffering and anguish, while others portray the hysteria and accusations that drove the community into chaos. Photography and film have also explored the Salem witch trials as a subject. Numerous documentaries have been made, aiming to provide a factual account of the events and their impact on the community. Additionally, fictional films like "Hocus Pocus" and "The Witch" have used the backdrop of the witch trials to create eerie and haunting narratives. The Salem witch trials also inspire contemporary artists who use various mediums to examine issues of gender, power, and justice. These works often raise questions about the role of women in society and the dangers of mass hysteria. Through their art, these creators contribute to ongoing discussions and interpretations of this historical event. In conclusion, the Salem witch trials have served as a rich source of artistic inspiration. Through literature, visual art, photography, and film, artists have explored the complex themes and emotions surrounding this dark period in American history. By doing so, they continue to shed light on the injustices and human tragedies that occurred during the trials..
Reviews for "The Salem Witch Trials Through the Artist's Eye"
1. Karen - 1/5 - I recently visited an art exhibition featuring Salem witch trials art, and I must say, I was quite disappointed. I found the artwork to be overly graphic and disturbing, focusing too much on the violence and horror of the trials. It felt exploitative and lacked any depth or thought-provoking elements. I expected the artwork to shed light on the historical context and explore the deep-rooted fears and suspicions that led to the trials, but instead, it seemed to glamorize the violence and perpetuate stereotypes. Overall, I found the experience to be unsettling and would not recommend it to others.
2. John - 2/5 - As a history enthusiast, I was intrigued to see the Salem witch trials art collection, but I left feeling underwhelmed. The artwork relied heavily on clichéd and sensationalized representations of witches, failing to provide a nuanced or accurate portrayal of the events. I was hoping to gain a better understanding of the societal factors and the psychological mindset of the people involved, but the art seemed more interested in shock value than in shedding light on the complexities of the trials. While some of the pieces were technically impressive, they lacked depth and failed to capture the historical significance of the trials. Overall, I felt that the art missed an opportunity to educate and inform.
3. Emily - 2/5 - I visited an exhibition showcasing Salem witch trials art, and unfortunately, it left a lot to be desired. The artwork seemed to rely heavily on stereotypes and exaggerated depictions of witches, perpetuating harmful myths and misconceptions. It was disheartening to see such a lack of nuance and historical accuracy in the pieces. Additionally, the exhibition failed to provide any educational context or explanation of the trials, making it difficult to fully appreciate the artwork. While I acknowledge that art can be subjective, I believe that this particular collection missed the mark in terms of capturing the complexity and historical significance of the Salem witch trials.