Actual Size (W x H): 109cm x 74cm [ 42.95" x 29.16" ]
John William Waterhouse: The Sorceress - 1913
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Magic or sorcery are terms referring to the alleged influencing of events and physical phenomena by supernatural, mystical, or paranormal means. They can refer to cultural complexes of beliefs and practices that believers can resort to in order to wield this supernatural influence; and also, to similar cultural complexes that seek to explain various events and phenomena by supernatural means.
The word magic ultimately derives from Magus (Old Persian maguš), one of the Zoroastrian astrologer priests of the Medes. In the Hellenistic period, Greek µ???? (magos) could be used as an adjective, but an adjective µa????? (magikos, latin magicus) is also attested from the 1st century (Plutarchus), typically appearing in the feminine, in µa???? t???? (magike techne, latin ars magica) "magical art." The word entered the English language in the late 14th century from Old French magique.
Likewise, sorcery was taken in ca. 1300 from Old French sorcerie, which is from Vulgar Latin *sortiarius, from sors "fate", apparently meaning "one who influences fate." Sorceress appears also in the late 14th century, while sorcerer is attested only from 1526. - Wikipedia
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