'Oriana', Frederick Sandys

Artwork details

Artist

Frederick Sandys (1829‑1904)

Title

Oriana

Date 1861

MediumOil paint on wood

Dimensionssupport: 251 x 190 mm frame: 445 x 382 x 48 mm

Collection

Tate

Acquisition Purchased with assistance from the Abbott Fund 1984

Reference

T03904

Not on display

Summary

The subject is taken from an early poem by Tennyson, 'The Ballad of Oriana', published in the Moxon edition of his Poems (1857). In the poem, Oriana stands on the wall of a castle, watching her betrothed in a battle below. An arrow meant for the knight strays, killing her instead. Sandys does not attempt to illustrate Tennyson's poem, but refers obliquely to one line of the ballad, 'She stood upon the castle wall'. Alfred Lord Tennyson was greatly admired by the Pre-Raphaelites, who were included among the illustrators for the Moxon edition. Sandys became acquainted with the Pre-Raphaelites in 1857, and was much respected by them although he always remained on the fringes of the group… (read more)