Witch - Whore - Saint

Micro movie based on a true and tragic (love-)story from the early 15th century.

Agnes Bernauer was defamed as a whore and condemned as a witch. After she was killed in a system, that didn’t tolerate love between aristocrats and the common people back in the 15th century, she was glorified almost like a saint. The running text banner in the background tells the story:

Hure genannt vom Herzog geliebt in schändlichem Bund als Hexe ertränkt zum Engel verklärt in Ordnung die Welt

called whore beloved by the duke in disgraceful bond drowned as a witch glorified as an angel in order the world

In my blog https://peakd.com/art/@reinhard-schmid/witch-whore-saint-based-on-the-true-story-of-the-shirt-life-of-agnes-b (tagged nsfw) I wrote:

Agnes was the daughter of the owner of a public bath. Back in the 15th century, these places had a somewhat red light district touch, which didn't necessarily help her reputation.

The painting shows Agnes in these three roles which were imposed on her, all placed in a kind of gothic structure, to add a reference to the time when she lived. Nevertheless I drew her, how she might look today, raising the question, what would happen, if a leading politician wanted to have a relationship with the "pretty woman" (😉).

The young duke Albrecht of Bavaria fell madly in love with her and although it wasn't tolerated by those in power, they got married. To get rid of her, Albrecht's father had her tried as a witch and she was drowned in the river Danube, only some 25 miles from where I live.

The central area of the painting shows the hands of Albrecht and Agnes, connected by their wedding band and trying to hold on to each other. But their love wasn't meant to be and she is pulled down by the evil forces.

After a sequence of events and Albrecht finally marrying a "real" princess, a chapel was built in remembrance of Agnes and her reputation changed to that of the angel to the right in the painting. She is well remembered to this day, Carl Orff wrote a piece on last days of her life and there is also a festival in the town where she was murdered.

mp4 with sound, 25 seconds, 2048x2732px at 30fps