Sappho 1893

Gustave Moreau painted this image of Sappho with oil on canvas. Sappho prepares to leap to her death, her elaborately decorated lyre prominent in the foreground. The Pre-Raphaelites, with whom Moreau was associated, were fascinated by the medieval era, the Byzantine Empire, and other pre-industrial cultures. Here, that fascination translates to an emphasis on meticulous detail and intricate patterning. This is particularly apparent in the decoration of the lyre, which features many jewels and gold embellishments, as well as the embroidered hems of Sappho’s dress. Sappho and other Pre-Raphaelite works speak to the rise of industrial capitalism. These objects embody a longing for something pre-industrial, handmade, and beautiful, that the artists felt was missing from their contemporary society. The labor and the time that the artist invested in this image is a testament to these values, a rebuke to the efficient modes of factory production. It is through an understanding of material, making, and context that we can truly appreciate the depth and significance of Moreau's artwork, and question the boundaries between fine art and craft.