Alexandre-Marie Colin’s The Three Witches (1827) presents a haunting vision of Shakespeare’s “weird sisters” from Macbeth, characters who embody fate, prophecy, and the supernatural. Colin captures these figures in an intense moment of shared focus, their twisted faces marked by exaggerated expressions as they lean in close, as if conspiring over a dark secret. In Colin’s interpretation, the witches are ambiguous and frightening, embodying a sinister wisdom that is both mesmerizing and unsettling. Through this portrayal, Colin not only brings Shakespeare’s characters to life but also reinforces a witch archetype that has profoundly shaped Western conceptions of the supernatural.
In Macbeth, the witches represent forces beyond human control, their prophecies luring Macbeth toward his tragic fate. Colin’s painting captures this ominous power with his attention to facial expressions, gestures, and the spatial arrangement of the figures. The three witches are tightly clustered, their bodies overlapping, which reinforces their unity and shared intent. One witch points, directing the viewer’s gaze outward, while another raises a finger to her mouth, as if hinting at secrets known only to them. This layering of figures and gestures gives the scene a sense of depth and intimacy, drawing the viewer into the witches’ conspiratorial circle. Their faces are lined, with prominent cheekbones, sunken eyes, and toothless mouths, highlighting their age and otherworldly nature. By emphasizing their weathered appearance, Colin aligns these witches with the crone archetype—figures of age and wisdom who stand outside conventional morality.
Colin’s representation of the weird sisters reflects the Romantic era’s fascination with the supernatural and the Gothic, themes that were central to 19th-century art and literature. Artists of the Romantic period, influenced by Gothic literature’s interest in the unknown and mysterious, often depicted witches as fearsome figures who hold knowledge beyond ordinary human understanding. Colin’s witches are not beautiful or enchanting; they are old, grotesque, and powerful, embodying a dark aspect of femininity that challenges the boundaries of human control. This approach echoes the Gothic theme of the uncanny—figures that are both familiar and deeply unsettling—placing the witches at the edge of human experience.
Shakespeare’s portrayal of the weird sisters in Macbeth has had a lasting impact on the Western conception of witches, which is evident in Colin’s interpretation. In the play, the witches speak in cryptic, paradoxical language and deliver prophecies that ultimately lead to Macbeth’s ruin. Described as "withered" and "wild," Shakespeare’s witches reflect 16th- and 17th-century fears of witchcraft, dark magic, and the disruption of natural order. This depiction of witches as chaotic forces with supernatural knowledge became a cornerstone of the Western witch archetype. The weird sisters’ role in Macbeth as agents of fate also reinforced a psychological layer to this fear, portraying witches as figures who could manipulate destiny and unsettle societal order. Colin draws directly from this legacy, reinforcing the idea of witches as both wise and menacing, their knowledge threatening to the natural world.
Colin’s depiction of the weird sisters also finds resonance in contemporary representations of witches and witchcraft. Today, the image of the witch ranges from sinister to empowered, but the crone archetype remains a powerful visual. The “old hag” witch is still a fixture in horror films and Halloween imagery, where she is presented with exaggerated features and menacing intentions, evoking fear of the unknown. This enduring figure traces back to depictions like Colin’s, where the witch’s aged face and prophetic gaze suggest hidden powers that defy human control.
Despite evolving representations of witches in popular culture, the dark, prophetic undertone of the weird sisters has not disappeared. While some modern portrayals present witches as empowered, independent figures—such as Hermione Granger, the Sanderson Sisters in Hocus Pocus, or the witches in American Horror Story—the aura of mystery and fate from Shakespeare’s characters still lingers. Colin’s witches exemplify this archetype, reminding viewers of the witch’s ambiguous power, her connection to fate, and her place outside societal norms.
In addition to popular media, neo-pagan and Wiccan traditions have reclaimed the image of the witch, viewing her as a figure of feminine power and wisdom with an emphasis on nature, intuition, and ancient knowledge. While these perspectives diverge from the darker undertones of Colin’s depiction, they share an appreciation for the witch’s unique role outside mainstream society. Colin’s witches, with their knowing looks and gestures, reinforce this sense of otherness and serve as a reminder of society’s complex relationship with powerful female figures.
Alexandre-Marie Colin’s The Three Witches ultimately captures the unsettling energy and allure of Shakespeare’s weird sisters, embedding them into the visual lexicon of witchcraft and the supernatural. His depiction reflects historical fears of women who defy societal norms, particularly those associated with age and wisdom. Through their grotesque expressions and intense focus, Colin’s witches embody the cultural discomfort with female figures who wield mysterious knowledge. Even as modern portrayals of witches have expanded to include positive, empowered figures, Colin’s interpretation of the weird sisters remains influential. His work underscores the powerful place of the witch archetype in Western imagination, depicting witches as beings who defy boundaries of time, morality, and human understanding—a fitting legacy for these characters who exist in a realm both fascinating and fearsome.