And Lycius' Arms Were Empty of Delight 1885

"And Lycius' Arms Were Empty of Delight" (1885) by Will Hicock Low, depicts a scene of loss and yearning. A draped woman, seemingly a spirit or a goddess, ascends into the sky, leaving behind a kneeling man who reaches up to her. The image is rendered in a realistic, painterly style, with a focus on the figures and their emotions. Low's piece explores themes of love, loss, and the passage of time, evoking a sense of melancholic longing for a departed loved one. The work is a fine example of the Pre-Raphaelite aesthetic, popular in the late 19th century, which emphasized beauty, emotion, and symbolism in its art.