Marguerite holding her dead child 1846

Ary Scheffer’s 1846 painting, “Marguerite holding her dead child,” is a Romantic depiction of the tragic character Marguerite from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s play “Faust.” In this poignant scene, Marguerite cradles her deceased infant, her sorrow palpable. The somber tone of the composition is heightened by the presence of a raven, a traditional symbol of death, which sits ominously at the forefront. Scheffer's work captured the imaginations of viewers in the 19th century, and continues to resonate with audiences today, offering a moving portrayal of grief and loss.