Snow White #04 Nancy Ekholm Burkert

The composition presents a diptych arrangement, dividing the scene into two distinct yet interconnected panels. The left panel establishes a setting suggestive of arcane practices and hidden knowledge. Here we see a table laden with objects associated with alchemy and witchcraft: a mortar and pestle, various glass vessels containing liquids of differing hues, a skull, and an open book displaying elaborate script and a prominent illustration of an apple. A spiderweb drapes across the scene, contributing to the atmosphere of neglect and secrecy. Above, a moon hangs in a night sky punctuated by what appears to be a bat’s silhouette, reinforcing the nocturnal and potentially ominous tone.
The right panel shifts focus to a figure, draped in voluminous robes with a hood obscuring much of their face. The individual holds an apple aloft, its vibrant red contrasting sharply with the muted palette of the surrounding objects. A profusion of botanical elements – leaves, herbs, and flowers – clutter the table alongside the figure, hinting at both healing properties and potential toxicity. Scattered cards lie near the base of the composition, their symbols obscured but suggesting a connection to divination or fortune-telling.
The subtexts within this work are layered and complex. The open book on the left panel implies access to forbidden knowledge, perhaps the very spells that govern the narrative unfolding in the right panel. The apple, a recurring motif laden with symbolic weight – temptation, knowledge, mortality – is central to both panels, acting as a visual link between the preparation of its potential use and its imminent consumption.
The figure on the right is ambiguous; their obscured face prevents immediate identification, allowing for multiple interpretations. They could be perceived as an antagonist, preparing or delivering the poisoned fruit, or perhaps as a more complex character whose motives remain unclear. The botanical elements surrounding them suggest a duality – the potential for both healing and harm inherent in nature’s bounty.
The diptych format itself contributes to the works meaning. It suggests a progression of events, a sequence leading from preparation to action. The division also creates a visual tension between the hidden world of magic and the individual who embodies it, leaving the viewer to ponder the relationship between knowledge, power, and consequence.