The Bright Liquid 

Edmund Dulac created "The Bright Liquid", an illustration, during the early 20th century, a time when the perception of women was shifting. Dulac, born in France and a naturalized British citizen, contributed to the aesthetics of the “Golden Age of Illustration.” This image presents us with a stark juxtaposition: a mermaid, traditionally a symbol of feminine allure, hovers near a grim scene of ship wreckage and skeletal remains, challenging the romanticized vision of women. The mermaid's pale skin and dark hair contrast with the deep blues and browns of the ocean's depths. She is seemingly untouched by the surrounding decay, although it raises questions about the mermaid's agency and her relationship to this underwater world. Does she represent innocence amidst corruption, or is she complicit in the haunting tableau? Dulac invites us to question the narratives we construct around beauty, gender, and power and the darker undercurrents of our own desires.