Nineteenth-century paintings and photographs fascinate the viewer with their mystery and profundity. This paper presents a detailed analysis and comparison of two works, a photograph “The Unknown Woman,” taken in 1855 by Southworth and Hawes, and ‘Ophelia,’ painted in 1884 by Sir John Everett Millais. Both works depict beautiful women but have different effects on their viewers, mainly because of their contrasting semantic content. This analysis will detail and compare these two works of art – their techniques, meanings, similarities, and differences.
First, it is worth considering the historical background and the initial emotions evoked by both works. Both were created in the second half of the nineteenth century, “Ophelia” was painted in oil on canvas by Sir Millais (Cassidy 26). Since Millais also created illustrations for literary works, it becomes evident that he was inspired by William Shakespeare’s character (Cross 317).
The artist succeeded in conveying the girl’s beautiful face and exquisite body lines. Ophelia lies in a stream surrounded by greenery – herbs, trees, and flowers. The painting is tranquil yet refreshing, making the viewer wonder what is on the mind of this enigmatic girl. The second work, a photograph of an unknown woman taken in Southworth and Hawes studio, arouses the same emotion.
It shows a slightly smiling young girl with beautiful hair and jewelry earrings. Although we cannot see what the lovely lady is wearing in this picture, her bared shoulders indicate a bright strapless dress. This portrayal is precisely the image created by the photographer – the young, ruddy, and dressy girl that is impatiently waiting for the photographer to take a shot.
Both works are dynamic despite the seeming statics at first. This effect is achieved primarily through the girls’ facial expressions – Ophelia looks relaxed, and thoughtful, while the girl in the photograph, on the contrary, looks confident and slightly smiling (Nikiforova 4). Both girls in the works do not look at the viewer, which allows making a more holistic perception of the picture. In “Ophelia’s” case, the viewer looks intently at the background.
Moreover, this painting is of particular aesthetic value precisely because the artist has both concealed and highlighted the girl’s figure (Nord 375). She seems to sink into the surrounding verdure on the one hand but stands out on the other using various background colors to emphasize her individuality. As for the photograph of the unknown girl, there is no background; the viewer sees only the portrait and visually works with it. This way, the focus of attention is transferred to the mimics, and the primary aesthetic value of this work is precisely to allow the viewer to construct the story and the image himself.
It follows from the above that both works are fascinating individually and in pair, as they share many similarities and many differences. “Ophelia” makes the viewer consider the multifaceted background and composition of the painting. The picture of the unknown girl attracts by its simplicity and dynamism.
For me, these two such different paintings give approximately the same feeling, but in slightly different shades. Ophelia’s painting gives me peace of mind and pushes me to think in a measured, peaceful way. The photograph of the unknown girl, on the other hand, also induces peace, but in a dynamic way – giving energy, urging me not to focus on a single moment.
The authors intended to encourage their viewers to reflect, reassure them and help them structure their thoughts through their work. At the same time, the authors put energy into their paintings, an impetus for new endeavors and a reimagining of reality. These works are of genuine aesthetic quality because they offer a great deal of room for reflection, which is the most valuable and attractive in works of art.
The aesthetic quality of these works is not in their form, color, and the figures depicted, but in how they challenge the viewer to think about the artist’s message. The pictures both bring peace and energy at the same time and feel as if they are both vintage and relatively recent – they are true to be called a great pieces of art.
Works Cited
Cross, Anthony. “Art Criticism as Practical Reasoning.” The British Journal of Aesthetics, vol. 57, no. 3, 2017, 299–317. Web.
Cassidy, Victor. Artistic Collaboration Today: Profiles of Creative Teams in Diverse Media. McFarland & Company, 2018.
Nord, Deborah. “George Eliot and John Everett Millais: The Ethics and Aesthetics of Realism”. Victorian Studies, vol.60, no. 3, 2018, pp. 361-389. Web.
Nikiforova, Anna. “Mirror as a Pre-screen Image in Tennyson’s Poem “The Lady of Shalott” and Pre-Raphaelite Illustrations.” Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, no. 284. Web.
Southworth & Hawes. Unidentified Woman. 1855. George Eastman Museum, New York. Flickr. Web.
Sir John Everett Millais. Ophelia. 1894. Tate, London, Great Britain. Tate. Web.