Mar 5
Ellen Terry (Choosing) (1864) by George Frederic Watts (British, 1817 – 1904), oil on strawboard mounted on Gatorfoam, 18 5/8 in. x 13 7/8 in. (472 mm x 352 mm, National Portrait Gallery, London.
#ellen terry#choosing#George Frederic Watts#painting#my upload#art#fine art#oil painting#allegorical portrait of his 16-year-old wife actress Ellen Terry#deciding between a showy scentless camellia (representing worldly vanity and the temptations of the stage)#and humble fragrant violets (representing innocence purity and domestic virtue)#Allegory of Choice:#The painting captures a moral dilemma with Terry dressed in a gown by William Holman Hunt#deciding between a life of shallow glamour (camellias) and one of quiet modest virtue (violets)#Theatrical Temptation:#Watts created the piece to represent his hope that Terry would abandon her stage career—#which he viewed as a source of vanity and dangerous temptations—to become his muse and wife#Personal Context:#The 30-year age gap between the 46-year-old artist#his 16-year-old bride is reflected in the theme as Watts sought to guide her towards a more domestic life.#Camellias: Symbolize the empty alluring and shallow nature of the stage#Violets: Symbolize innocence simplicity and true quiet value#Artistic Style: The work is heavily influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite style#Venetian Renaissance art focusing on intense color and rich symbolic detail#The painting ultimately reflects the couple's short-lived 10-month marriage and their differing life philosophies