Question

Who is the artist portraying in the engraving shown here?

1) Puritans in church
2) The women accused of witchcraft
3) A trial, with the accusers and the accused

Answer 1

The engraving by William A. Crafts depicts a scene from the Salem Witch Trials with an accuser writhing on the floor during a witchcraft trial.

Step-by-step explanation:

The artist is portraying Scene 3, which represents a trial during the Salem Witch Trials. This historical event involved the accusation, trial, and execution of many suspected witches in Puritan New England, particularly in Salem Village in 1692. The engraving 'A witness writhes on the floor of the courthouse at the proximity of an accused' by William A. Crafts vividly represents the intense and fearful atmosphere of the trials, where accusers often exhibited dramatic reactions in the courtroom as they confronted the accused, whom they believed were aligned with the Devil.