Sappho 1862

Arnold Böcklin painted this contemplative portrait of Sappho in the late 19th century. The scroll held delicately in her hands is the most potent symbol here. It represents the written word, the vehicle of Sappho’s poetry that sings with both beauty and melancholy. Observe how the scroll recalls images from antiquity of scholars and sibyls holding sacred texts. Yet, Böcklin imbues this symbol with a modern sensibility. Sappho’s gaze is averted, lost in thought, suggesting a deep, personal connection to her art. Like Botticelli's Venus, Sappho here is an archetype, but she is also very human. The echoes of this motif reverberate through time, shifting in meaning, yet retaining a core of creative and intellectual power. Böcklin’s Sappho reminds us that the life of symbols is never linear. They resurface, evolve, and find new expression across generations.