Ophelia

From yesterday's Tate visit.... This is another quick sketch I did, depicting a detail of the painting titled 'Ophelia', by John Everett Millais.

The painting was executed in true Pre-Raphaelite fashion, where delicate brushwork and bright colour depict intense realism to reveal medieval and classically-themed stories that appeal directly to the senses.

Signified by the title, this painting illustrates the drowning of Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet, who falls into a stream after picking flowers, and mad with grief, allows herself to die.

Pre-Raphaelite paintings were largely symbolic and in this particular piece Millais has carefully selected the flowers he places into Ophelia's lifeless hands, which include poppies - symbolic of death, daisies - innocence and pansies - love in vain.

The Tate noted that this painting was regarded in its day as one of the most accurate and elaborate studies of nature ever made. I believe that craftsmanship still stands strong today. The painting seemed to have a certain command to all that entered the room, with most people passing through seeming to stop and linger here a little longer than at the other surrounding works.