Other Dragons



Witches are a common motive in the drawings of Hans Baldung Grien, a german artist of the 16th century. They commonly were accused to have sexual intercourse with the devil. Hans Baldung depicted a more discreet scene. The devil is represented by a dragon, and flames from his mouth should symbolize the fire of voluptuousness. Grien
Hans Baldung genannt Grien

Junge Hexe mit Drache
(young witch and dragon)
1515

from: HALBEY, M. (Ed.): 66 Hexen. Kult und Verdammung. - Die biliophilen Taschenbücher, 518 p., (Harenberg Kommunikation), Dortmund 1987.


quetzal Of course this mural (which I found in Mexico City on the wall of a building destroyed in the 1986 earthquake) does not represent a dragon. It shows Quetzalcoalt, the Plumed Serpent, god of life and death in Aztec and Toltec culture.

© MCMXCVII by J. Georg Friebe




Ancient postcard showing St. George and the dragon.



issued approximately 1905 by J.S.M.
(postcard number S. 287)
Georg postcard

St. Michel St. Michel defeating the dragon (= the devil)



St. Michael - Saint Michel
Miniatur, westdeutsch, Anfang 14. Jahrh., Kupferstichkabinett Berlin-Dahlem

Postcard issued by ars liturgica Kunstverlag Maria Laach (Germany), Nr. 5830


Mikolas Ales: Cyklus Vlast.

VIII. Trutnov. ... a zabiji litou san druhdy Trut ...
postcard
postcard edited by: Mikolas Lehmann, nakladatelstvi, Praha (Prague) I. 1019

Nibelung
"Da gewahrte er an der Klaue
des Lindwurms einen blitzenden Ring,
den Ring des König Nibelung.
Und er warf sich an des Untiers Kehle
und durchschlug mit sausendem Querhieb
die erhobene Tatze,
daß die Krallen mit dem Ring
in die Steine flogen.
Einen einzigen Schrei tat der Drache
und brach in seinem Blut tot zusammen."



postcard edited by:
Verlag Farbenphotographische Gesellschaft m.b.H. Stuttgart.

Serie 127 Nr. 3726



Anonther postcard showing St. George. I do not know when it was issued, but it is probably a propaganda postcard with St. George, who is in field uniform, symbolizing the (German) army and the dragon standing for a foreign enemy.



issued by E.M.M. "(m.)"
(postcard number 60 / 2310)
Georg postcard

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© MCMXCVII by J. Georg Friebe
Custos Musei Naturalis Historiae Vorarlbergensis, Dornbirn (Austria)
last update 15.05.1998