description Ophelia Overview
Ophelia is an oil painting made by John Everett Millais in 1851 to 1852, based on the death of Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet. It shows her floating in a stream shortly before drowning, surrounded by plants and flowers whose identities and symbolic associations were carefully observed. Millais painted the landscape from nature in Surrey, while Elizabeth Siddal modeled for the figure, producing a characteristic union of literary subject and precise Pre-Raphaelite detail.
insights Ranking position
Ophelia ranks #69 of 160 in the Painting ranking, behind Weeping Woman, ahead of Woman with a Parasol.
help Ophelia FAQ
Who modeled for Ophelia in John Everett Millais's painting?
Elizabeth Siddal modeled for Ophelia while lying in a bathtub so Millais could study the floating figure and her clothing. She later became an artist herself and married the painter and poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti.
Did Elizabeth Siddal become ill while posing as Ophelia?
Accounts say the lamps heating the bath went out while Siddal continued posing, and she subsequently became ill. Her father reportedly held Millais responsible for the resulting medical expense.
What do the flowers in Ophelia symbolize?
Millais included flowers connected with Shakespeare's Hamlet and Victorian symbolic associations, including poppies, violets, daisies, and pansies. The red poppy suggests death, while violets are associated with faithfulness and with Ophelia's own flower imagery in the play.
Where did Millais paint the river landscape in Ophelia?
He painted the background outdoors beside the Hogsmill River at Ewell in Surrey, working closely from living plants. The finished 1851-52 painting is now in Tate Britain's collection in London.
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