So I did not use any due dilligence or resources to write the above posts. I wanted it to come from my own mind and intuition.
I just looked at the wiki article on it now, and was shocked to see some major parallels in the interpretations:
" The Four Witches (German: Die Vier Hexen ), or The Four Naked Women ,[1] or The Four Sorceresses [2] or Scene in a Brothel , are titles given to a 1497 engraving by the German Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer."
He did not name the painting, the titles came from other people trying to nail down the meaning of the art.
" Although clearly erotic, a small horned demon, perhaps representing temptation,[5] i"
I disagree, its not erotic at all! The figure is Satan, or better yet, HADES. (This ties into the below interpretation):
There are lots of interpretations from the article I disagree with, so will post the ones that I think are accurate:
“The differing hairstyles and headdress suggests that the women are from different social classes;”
Agree. Cool coinicidence
" to Aphrodite (represented here by the woman to the right wearing a myrtle wreath)[1] and the Graces, the Three Fates,"
Bingo!
Another really powerful synchronicity with what we talked about above!
This is spot on, all except for the 3 Graces, I think these women represent the 3 FATES.
This was the last part of the puzzle for me that I struggled with, I could not understand the symbolism of the cloth, which I think is doing more than just coving up the woman’s genitals.
This completely explains the Cloth in the right older woman’s hands, AND it explains where the other 2 Fates hands are, the cloth touches or passes through the vicinity of all 3 of the fates, and if you look at where it ends on the floor, it is right next to the Skull!!!
The cloth ends right at the base of the young woman’s left foot, and at her right is the Skull. The cloth also is on the stage, and if you follow closely it back to its source, you see it is connected to the woman standing on the lower level on the right, and goes all the way up to her hair/headdress, like a spool of yarn! Its not a curtain or the drapes, it is directly tied to the Spinner (Clotho), like it is almost a part of her body or hair:
" Clotho (/ˈkloʊθoʊ/; Greek: Κλωθώ) or Klotho , is a mythological figure. She is the youngest goddess of the Three Fates or Moirai. In ancient Greek mythology, she spins the thread of human life,"
“her sisters draw out ([Lachesis]”(Lachesis - Wikipedia))
Clearly it is being drawn out by the 2nd older woman,( you wondered where their hands are), and the 3rd (Atropos) had already cut its length, and determined when the person would die, that is why she is looking at the skull and tail end of the cloth!:
" Atropos was the oldest of the Three Fates, and was known as “the Inflexible One.”[3] It was Atropos who chose the manner of death and ended the life of mortals by cutting their threads.[4] She worked along with her two sisters, Clotho, who spun the thread, and Lachesis, who measured the length."
Look at the funeral viel hat Atropos is wearing:
Her facial expression is Somber. And in the grieving process this is pretty much the end stage of grief, acceptance of what is, its FATE! Nothing can be done to change it. The facial expressions of the other 2 may also represent the other emotions tied to the grieving process:
This certainly could be tied to a personal death in the artists life, or his patron, or been a powerful symbol to illustrate a universal human expereince, or ALL of the above.
Thank you for this delightful puzzle my heart , it was a true gift