Ophelia 1852

Arthur Hughes made this painting of Ophelia in the Pre-Raphaelite style using oil paint on canvas. Though we can't know precisely how he built up the image, oil paint is traditionally applied in layers, each allowed to dry before the next is added. Hughes was celebrated for his mastery of color, and the luminosity of his palette suggests a careful, considered technique. But what really makes this painting special is the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood’s commitment to truth to nature. The level of detail is astonishing. It’s said that Hughes spent hours outdoors, carefully observing and documenting the environment. Each plant and flower is rendered with botanical accuracy. In this way, the making of the work is directly linked to the social and cultural context of its creation. The Pre-Raphaelites rejected what they saw as the artificiality of the art establishment and sought to return to the sincerity and simplicity of early Italian art. By emphasizing materials, making, and context, we can see how Hughes' Ophelia challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.