gothic artdoll mixed media damsel with gnarled branches in place of her severed hands. she stands in a piece of wood and is presented a silver hand by a small furred messenger doll

gothic artdoll mixed media damsel with gnarled branches in place of her severed hands wearing white nightie

close-up of gothic angel messenger doll white fur mohair wig, horned, pale with white lace collar

tiny silver hands on a small white pillow

The Handless Maiden

Mixed Media Artdoll

SOLD

33″H x 14″W x 18″D

The eternal tale of initiation in the Underground Forest; the place of deep healing and sympathetic majik where one must reclaim lost intuition.

In making this artdoll piece I was inspired to revisit one of my favorite tales The Handless Maiden.

The folk tale has ancient roots and was collected by the Brothers Grimm in 1812. It’s a popular source of interpretation about the human condition by Jungian psychologists.

The maiden in the story is violently robbed of her hands by her own father who is in leagues with the devil. Forced to fend for herself, she searches for a way to heal her wounds.

I’ve been so inspired by the tale of The Handless Maiden, that I have made two additional pieces exploring her story. See the gallery pages of the Shadow Tales: The Handless Maiden and Story Boxes: The Handless Maiden.