Elisabetta Gonzaga and the Ambivalence of Scorpio in Medieval and Renaissance Art.

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  • Author(s): COHEN, SIMONA1
  • Source:
    Magic, Ritual & Witchcraft. Winter2018, Vol. 13 Issue 3, p408-446. 39p.
  • Additional Information
    • Subject Terms:
      Scorpions; Amulets; Medieval art; Renaissance art; Gonzaga, Elisabetta; Portraits; Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary
    • Abstract:
      The article explores scorpion symbolism in Medieval and Renaissance art by examining a portrait of Elisabetta Gonzaga of Mantua, Italy, wearing a scorpion amulet on her forehead. It examines the transition in the meanings and functions of the scorpion pendant, which initially served as an astral fertility amulet, after its magical purpose failed. It also discusses the link of the transition to the association of Scorpio-related concepts with Renaissance doctrines of Marian devotion.