Stunning images show enduring Pagan rituals of Europe
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Still having trouble coming up with an idea for a Halloween costume? You could always go dressed as a Krampus.
The Krampus, a two-horned, hairy creature, is the first folkloric beast photographer Charles Fréger encountered during his two-year journey through 18 European countries documenting still-practiced pagan festivals.
The Krampus, a legend in Alpine countries, is said to punish misbehaving children during the winter Yule season. In contrast, Saint Nicholas, rewards well-behaved children with gifts. Fréger first saw a man dressed as a Krampus in Salzburg, Austria. The result of that interaction led to years of work for Fréger, documenting the enduring pagan celebrations of rural Europe.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“I found myself in front of something very radical, no face,” Fréger told Slate. “It was more of a character with a mask and a focus where the body is more important than the face itself.”
Fréger’s resulting series, “Wilder Mann” is available in book form, titled “Wilder Mann: The Image of the Savage,” published by Dewi Lewis Publishing.
Click through the slideshow above to view his stunning images.