the Siren 1864

Edward John Poynter painted ‘The Siren’ sometime in the late nineteenth century. The painting illustrates the mythical creature from Homer’s Odyssey, who lures sailors to their deaths with enchanting music. Created during the height of the British Empire, it reflects the prevailing Victorian fascination with classical antiquity. The Siren, with her sensual pose and alluring gaze, speaks to the complex relationship between desire and danger that characterized much of the art of this period. In its aesthetic, it is aligned with the artistic institutions of its time, from the Royal Academy to the Grosvenor Gallery. To fully appreciate Poynter’s Siren, we need to go beyond its beautiful surface and consider the cultural and social forces at play in its creation. Researching the social history of Victorian England, its art institutions, and its complex relationship with classical mythology, help to fully appreciate its meaning.