Though this is not a portrait of Sabrina the Teenage Witch and her trusty cat Salem, it is a portrait of another witchy lady - Gertrude Abercrombie.

The artist believed that a) she was ugly and b) that she looked like a witch, so she embraced it and would wear a witch hat mostly to scare people. And when they inevitably recoiled from her, she would cackle at their expense. So long story short, she’s the coolest.

Abercrombie was a huge fan of self portraits, minimal interiors and dismal landscapes with witchy things like crystal balls, broomsticks, and black cats. In this work, Abercrombie is just strolling along with her familiar (a magic term for an animal that aids a witch in her magical endeavors) enjoying a nice full moon. There is one of those rain clouds that in any cartoon indicates that the person underneath the cloud is distraught but with Abercrombie, you really never know. She’s not exactly the most predictable artist (unlike Degas who for the life of him couldn’t move past his ballet fetish).

But what is she doing out so late walking around a deserted field? Is she casting spells on the misogynistic powers that be? Is she enhancing the stereotype of old, unmarried women being a threat to society via their independence? Is she simply taking her cat friend for a stroll? Add this to the list of things that you’ll never know.