The article previews an upcoming exhibition titled "Sorcières !" at the Château des ducs de Bretagne – Musée d'histoire de Nantes, running from February 7 to June 28, 2026. It traces the historical debate around witchcraft in 16th-century Europe, focusing on key figures such as Heinrich Kramer, author of the *Malleus maleficarum* (1486), who argued that witchcraft was a female-specific evil requiring extermination, and Jean Bodin, who supported this view. In contrast, Johann Weyer and Michel de Montaigne challenged the persecution, suggesting accused women were mentally ill or elderly and deserved humane treatment rather than execution.
This exhibition matters because it revisits a pivotal historical moment where misogyny, religion, and law intersected to justify the persecution of thousands of women. By presenting primary texts and artworks—such as Albrecht Dürer's engraving *La Sorcière* (1501)—the show invites contemporary audiences to reflect on how societies construct and punish deviance. It also connects to ongoing conversations about gender, power, and the legacy of witch hunts in modern culture.