42 Years of Harry Potter: Art References in the Films
On July 31, Harry Potter turned 42, and the saga continues to captivate generations. The films are filled with art historical easter eggs. In 'The Philosopher's Stone', a portrait of Anne Boleyn appears, referencing her witchcraft accusations. In 'The Prisoner of Azkaban', director Alfonso Cuarón included a cave painting of a werewolf from Cumberland Plateau, an Egyptian mural of the wolf deity Wepwawet from the Temple of Seti I, and a Greek ceramic evoking a 5th-century piece depicting Dolon from the Iliad. A painting of men around a skeleton is Nicolaes Eliasz Pickenoy's 'The Osteology Lesson of Dr. Sebastiaen Egbertsz'. A statue of an eagle eating a snake in Hogsmeade references the Mexican coat of arms and Aztec legend of Tenochtitlan. The moving staircases recall M.C. Escher's 'Relativity' (1953). Dementors' victims evoke Francis Bacon's 'Portrait of Innocent X' (1953). Harry's solitude on the train mirrors Edward Hopper's 'Compartment C Car 293' (1938). In 'Deathly Hallows Part 1', the 'Magic Is Might' statue resembles Vera Mukhina's 'Worker and Kolkhoz Woman' (1937), a Socialist Realist work. The first view of Hogwarts at night echoes Vincent van Gogh's 'Starry Night Over the Rhône' (1888).
Key facts
- Harry Potter turned 42 on July 31.
- The saga's 25th anniversary was recently celebrated.
- Anne Boleyn's portrait appears in 'The Philosopher's Stone'.
- Alfonso Cuarón directed 'The Prisoner of Azkaban'.
- A cave painting of a werewolf references Cumberland Plateau.
- An Egyptian mural of Wepwawet from the Temple of Seti I appears.
- A Greek ceramic evokes a 5th-century piece of Dolon from the Iliad.
- Nicolaes Eliasz Pickenoy's 'The Osteology Lesson of Dr. Sebastiaen Egbertsz' appears.
- An eagle-eating-snake statue in Hogsmeade references the Mexican coat of arms.
- The moving staircases recall M.C. Escher's 'Relativity' (1953).
- Dementors' victims evoke Francis Bacon's 'Portrait of Innocent X' (1953).
- Harry's solitude on the train mirrors Edward Hopper's 'Compartment C Car 293' (1938).
- The 'Magic Is Might' statue resembles Vera Mukhina's 'Worker and Kolkhoz Woman' (1937).
- The first view of Hogwarts at night echoes Vincent van Gogh's 'Starry Night Over the Rhône' (1888).
- Vera Mukhina's statue was created for the 1937 Paris Exposition.
- The article was written by Silvia Rossetti.
Entities
Artists
- Alfonso Cuarón
- Anne Boleyn
- Edward Hopper
- Francis Bacon
- M.C. Escher
- Nicolaes Eliasz Pickenoy
- Rembrandt van Rijn
- Johannes Vermeer
- Vera Mukhina
- Vincent van Gogh
- Silvia Rossetti
- Marta Andrea Giacomelli
Institutions
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Artribune
- Musée d'Orsay
- Paris Exposition
Locations
- Hogwarts
- Hogsmeade
- Cumberland Plateau
- Temple of Seti I
- Egypt
- Greece
- Mexico
- Tenochtitlan
- Mexico City
- Moscow
- Paris
- France