The painting ‘Ophelia‘ by Friedrich Heyser found renewed admiration by Swifties after the singer used it in her latest song.
The mythical figure appears in the song “The Fate of Ophelia“, part of the latest album “The Life Of A Showgirl” by Taylor Swift. The song was a reference to the character of Ophelia featured in William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. However, unlike Ophelia’s tragic and passive role in the original play, Swift’s song tries to reimagine her fate.
At first, there was a renewed interest in Ophelia (1851-52) by John Everett Millais, perhaps the most well-known work featuring the character. However, fans soon realized that the image featured in the song is not Milais’ work but rather a different one – Ophelia (circa 1900) by Friedrich Heyser. The painting depicts Ophelia in a white dress lying face-up in a pond, closely resembling the imagery shown in the song.
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After this news spread, hundreds of Taylor Swift fans – or Swifties, as they are known – flocked to the Wiesbaden State Museum in Germany, where the painting hangs. Andreas Henning, director of the museum, was happy with the development: “We’re surprised and happy that Taylor Swift chose this painting from the Museum Wiesbaden as a model for her video. This is, of course, a great opportunity to introduce people to the museum who don’t yet know us.”
