The wizard often denotes wisdom, as a mysterious figure in fairy tales and folklore as well as in modern stories, guiding the hero through his journey. In a way, he is a sort of intuition and moral authority. We wish to tell the story of the origin of how the wizard came to be. From literary wizards such as Merlin, political wizards such as Nostradamus and historical wizards such as alchemists and astrologers. What did wizards symbolise then and what do they symbolise now? Different perspectives will be discussed and related to this figurine such as literature, psychology, iconography and gender studies.
The wizard bears a remarkable similarity to Celtic druids who provided magical guidance. It is immediately apparent that this figure is a wizard due to his (lost) staff, black pointy hat, and black robe cinched at the waist by a brown belt accompanied by red accents. The features of the figurine are defined by the characteristic appearance of an old man with a long white beard and his determined stance hinting at the casting of spells or perhaps reminding the viewer of his powerful magical abilities One of the most famous wizards of all time is Merlin who, in his different versions over centuries, reflected cultural values around magic and acted as a counsellor to kings, most notably King Arthur and his father Uther. This in turn, reflects the medieval practices of astrologers and alchemists who were present in courts, promising guidance in political matters and riches (through the transmutation of cheaper materials to gold and silver).
Witchcraft more generally, is still practiced nowadays and has a long heritage. Relevant facets of this tour include the gendering of magic into wizards practitioners and witches which mostly entails a negative portrayal of female magic wielders. During the research, witches have been deemed as satanical and evil while their male counterparts are seen as wise, powerful and brave. Even if magic is not deemed real, it is still fascinating for modern audiences as it is frequently revisited through movies, series, video games and literature.