The Invitation 1883 - 1884

Elihu Vedder created "The Invitation", a drawing, as part of his illustrations for a 19th-century edition of Edward FitzGerald's translation of "The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam." Vedder, living through a time of massive social and intellectual change, found resonance in Khayyam's poetry. Vedder intertwines text and image, prompting a dialogue between them. The poem speaks of life's fleeting nature, urging one to seize the moment. A semi-nude figure reclines, seemingly offering the poem to us, while a sundial marks the passage of time. The poem alludes to ancient Persian kings, questioning worldly achievements in the face of mortality. Vedder, influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites and Symbolists, imbues the image with a dreamlike, ethereal quality. He develops an alternative narrative, visualizing the poem's themes of mortality and pleasure through a lens of beauty and contemplation, inviting us to reflect on our own existence. The emotional weight of this piece lies in its melancholic acceptance of life's impermanence.