John William Waterhouse’s The Magic Circle (1886), oil on canvas, 183 × 127 cm, housed at Tate Britain, London, is a striking example of Pre-Raphaelite art that explores themes of magic, mystery, and feminine power. The painting presents a solitary woman, depicted as a sorceress or priestess, engaged in a ritual act—drawing a protective magic circle around herself with a wand, while a fiery cauldron burns nearby.
