Ophelia | John Everett Millais | 1852

John Everett Millais’ Ophelia (1852) is one of the most haunting and evocative paintings of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, capturing the tragic moment from Hamlet when Ophelia, driven mad by grief, drowns in a river. The painting is remarkable for its intense naturalism, with Millais meticulously rendering the lush vegetation that surrounds Ophelia’s floating body. The vibrant flowers, each symbolizing different aspects of her fate—poppies for death, daisies for innocence, and violets for faithfulness—add layers of meaning to the scene. Ophelia’s face is serene, almost otherworldly, as she sings while succumbing to the water, emphasizing the eerie beauty of her demise. The luminosity of her pale skin contrasts with the dense greenery, reinforcing her fragility and impending death. Millais’ meticulous attention to detail, achieved through months of outdoor study, creates a vivid yet unsettling atmosphere, transforming Ophelia’s death into a poetic and mesmerizing moment of tragic beauty.