What J.W. Waterhouse represents in his three Ophelia

IR IR (HANDLE) Web Site Open Access

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • J.W.ウォーターハウスのオフィーリア作品における生への賛美 : 《オフィーリア》三部作を中心に
  • J.W.ウォーターハウス ノ オフィーリア サクヒン ニ オケル ナマ エ ノ サンビ : 《 オフィーリア 》 サンブサク オ チュウシン ニ

Search this article

Description

Ophelia, Shakespeare's heroine, has been painted in British and other countries from the 19th to the 20th century. The features of most of them are the water which will bury her and a glance which did not cross with the viewers. J.W. Waterhouse also painted Ophelia three times. In his pictures of Ophelia, Waterhouse did not paint the water, and the presence of Ophelia is more foregrounded than the water. Therefore, Ophelia leaves from the literary source in which she will drown, and is presented as the woman who has will. Moreover, Waterhouse painted Ophelia who communicates with viewers. One of the factors is a glance. Ophelia forces viewers to notice her by exchanging glances with each other or devote their attention to her by turning her eyes away from them and showing her concentration. As a result, Ophelia becomes a woman who has will and a sense of existence. While Ophelia is the existence who will drown by facing misfortune in literary sources, she becomes a woman who is living and acting in Waterhouse's paintings. Therefore, paintings of Ophelia by Waterhouse represent the praise of living.

Journal

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top