Ophelia
1889
An English painter deeply influenced by the spirit of the Pre-Raphaelite Brother…
A young woman lies in a meadow full of wildflowers, her hair disheveled and dressed in a pure white gown.
Picked flowers entwine her hair, knees, and hands, making her appear like a 'fragile flower' melting into the landscape itself.
This is Waterhouse's first work depicting Ophelia, the heroine of Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet.
However, in this subject, which often emphasizes the 'waterside' as the stage for her death, the Ophelia in this painting is depicted far from the water's edge.
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