Serpent Symbolism in Art: From Folklore to Contemporary

The article explores the enduring symbolism of the serpent in art, from ancient folklore to contemporary works. It highlights the festival of Cocullo in Abruzzo, where on May 1st, a procession honors San Domenico abate, with serpari carrying live snakes wrapped around the saint's statue. This ritual, rooted in pre-Christian traditions of the Marsi and Irpini tribes devoted to the goddess Angizia, blends pagan and Christian elements to exorcise evil and cure ailments. The serpent's dual nature as poison and remedy is examined through artworks: Franz von Stuck's "Die Sünde" (1893) depicts Eve with a serpent symbolizing sin; Robert Mapplethorpe's photograph "Snakeman" (1981) references medieval iconography; Hans Memling's "Calice di San Giovanni Evangelista" (1470) shows a serpent emerging from a chalice, representing venom as sin. Marina Abramović's 1990 performance "Dragon Heads" is noted for its iconographic connection to the Cocullo festival, evoking the dual feminine archetype of destruction and creation. The article concludes with anthropologist Ernesto de Martino's concept of "crisis of presence," where rituals like the serpent festival help communities overcome existential threats, paralleling art's symbolic power.