Mar 28
Cassandra of Troy (also known as Cassandra , Fatidica and Fauna), (Detail), (1893-1894), by Sir Frederic Leighton (British, 1830 – 1896), oil on canvas, 153 x 111 cm (approximately 60.2 x 43.7 in), Lady Lever Art Gallery
#Cassandra of Troy#Fatidica#Cassandra#Fauna#frederic leighton#painting#my upload#oil on canvas#art#19th century#painting detail#detail#depicts a Roman prophetess brooding over the future. The work is a study in classical melancholia focusing on themes of fate#inner knowledge and divine inspiration heavily influenced by Michelangelo's depictions of sibyls#The Prophetess (Fatidica/Cassandra):#The figure is a Fatidica—a Roman prophetess or fortune-teller. While the title is Fatidica she is linked to the Greek mythological figure#Cassandra daughter of King Priam of Troy who was gifted with true foresight but cursed never to be believed#perhaps burdened by a vision of future tragedies#The composition with its heavy drapery sculptural figure and intense dramatic pose is explicitly based on Michelangelo's Prophets#and Sibyls from the Sistine Chapel ceiling#Although it portrays a tragic figure the painting is noted for being more decorative than emotional#It emphasizes the undulating rhythmic lines of her garments and the elegant idealized form rather than overt grief#The painting embodies the 19th-century Aesthetic Movement focusing on the beauty of form and rich abstract drapery patterns#The painting was created near the end of Leighton's life and was acquired by Lord Leverhulme shortly after it was finished#The painting typically features the burning city of Troy in the background a direct reference to the destruction#she warned against including the Trojan Horse incident#Fatidica (She Who Speaks Fate): The work is often described as Fatidica a figure that signifies a prophetess#Symbolism of Doom: The figure is often depicted in dark brooding robes with the painting’s composition creating an aura of#unavoidable disaster. Some versions such as those related to the Fatidica theme portray her seated looking inwards rather than outwards#emphasizing a cerebral form of doom
