Ophelia is a 1894 oil on canvas painting by the English painter John William Waterhouse, depicting a character in William Shakespeare's drama Hamlet.She is a young noblewoman of Denmark, a potential wife for Prince Hamlet.In the 1894 version by Waterhouse, Ophelia is depicted, in the last moments before her death, sitting on a willow branch extending out over a pond of lilies. When Waterhouse died, he was actively working on the fourth Ophelia painting. ‘Ophelia’ was created in 1894 by John William Waterhouse in Romanticism style. Give to the Folger today. Daily Dose of Art is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. John William Waterhouse, Untitled [Ophelia], 1889.In most of these paintings, Ophelia wears a blue or white dress; these are iconic colors of innocence and virginity. This piece was the painting that Waterhouse submitted to the Royal Academy of Art in order to graduate. In Dicksee’s painting, Ophelia has removed her crown of wildflowers, she sits on a part of the riverbank covered in dead vegetation, again in a white dress, the bottom of which has already begun to be soiled by the muddy water. For more on John William Waterhouse, please visit his short biography here. By far the most well-known painting of Ophelia is John Everett Millais’ 1852 depiction of a moment shortly before her death. ©Manchester Art GalleryIn contrast to Redgrave and Millais, Arthur Hughes depicts Ophelia as a young, waif-like figure. In the 1894 version by Waterhouse, Opheliais depicted, in the last moments before her death, sitting on a willow branch extending out over a pond of lilies. “Carolina Pigeon” (“Turtle Dove”) by John James Audubon, “Far Away Thoughts” by John William Godward. The wide, scared eyes of Ophelia in Waterhouse’s 1910 painting particularly demonstrate that, like Millais, Waterhouse was concerned with creating a visual image that reflects the workings of Ophelia’s mind rather than the ‘inane prettiness’ that Hunt accused earlier nineteenth-century artists of depicting. The slight reflection of Ophelia suggests that, were she to look down, she would see a ghostly image of herself in the water already. In both of these Waterhouse paintings, Ophelia is not in the water and is looking away from the river. 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Generally, these paintings capture only a limited, subtle sense of an active threat to Ophelia’s life, focusing instead on her innocence and drawing on the beautiful and poetic description that Gertrude gives of her death. The darkness in this painting comes from the black water, which seems to be swallowing her as well as dragging the colorful flowers out of her hands; Millais shows us bright color drawn away from her as she is consumed by this darkness. Poppies were considered a highly symbolic flower in England in the 1840s because, in the early nineteenth century, scarlet corn poppies grew over the battlefields from the Napoleonic Wars. Required fields are marked *. All Rights Reserved. Alongside the artwork found here, you will also see other ones from 1889 and 1894. She was a favorite subject for many nineteenth century artists including Richard Redgrave, John Everett Millais, Arthur Hughes, Thomas Francis Dicksee, and of course, John William Waterhouse. Waterhouse’s different versions would experiment with the young woman’s poses and expressions, though always being flattering and respectful to his subject. John William Waterhouse, Untitled [Ophelia], 1894. The medium of fine art places all of these Ophelias as objects for observation and these observations focus primarily on her youth, beauty, and innocence. Waterhouse has placed flowers on her lap and in her hair, tying her into h… In both paintings, as well as in Waterhouse’s earlier 1889 painting of Ophelia lying contently in a field, her life does not appear to be in danger. Waterhouse was deeply interested in rendering his own interpretations of literary and mythological figures. Look it, painfully close, fixed on the viewer. This lovely oil on canvas painting is by the English Pre-Raphaelite artist, John William Waterhouse, from 1889 and is titled “Ophelia”. Ophelia is a 1894 oil on canvas painting by the English painter John William Waterhouse, depicting a character in William Shakespeare's drama Hamlet. Enter your email address to subscribe to myddoa.com and receive notifications of new posts by email. After the death scene she appears in the play only twice, being absolutely insane. The Academy recorded notes on “Ophelia” after it was submitted which read: “Ophelia lying in the grass, with the wild flowers she has gathered in the folds of her dress. The character herself, Ophelia, is taken directly from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Ophelia among the flowers by Odilon Redon, Miss Margaret Henderson by John Waterhouse, Psyche opening the door to Cupid’s garden by John William Waterhouse, The Night Watch by Rembrandt Harmenz van Rijn, Portrait de l’artiste Ge – Nikolay Yaroshenko, Vue de la ville idéale – Piero della Francesca, La main de Michel-Ange – Michelangelo Buonarroti, Kossa (Temps de souffrance) – Grigory Myasoedov. The character herself, Ophelia, is taken directly from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Ophelia is, of course, the potential love interest in Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet. Thomas Francis Dicksee’s Ophelia has the long red hair of the Pre-Raphaelite muses, crowned with colorful flowers. Ophelia Art Print by John William Waterhouse. About flowers at her feet, bundles of tall grass on the shore, the ladies on the porch – they look at Ophelia, wary, but it seems still do not understand what will happen in the next moment. This lovely oil on canvas painting is by the English. Waterhouse had planned to paint a fourth in what he called the ‘Ophelia series’. Ophelia for early Waterhouse is the epitome of fragility, flexibility, and missed opportunities.

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