Скачать или смотреть The Prison of Obsession: Mariana in the South (c. 1897) by John William Waterhouse

Mariana in the South (1897) is a masterpiece by Pre-Raphaelite painter John William Waterhouse. Inspired by Alfred Tennyson’s poem, it depicts the tragic isolation of a woman abandoned by her fiancé over a lost dowry and confined to a desolate southern villa.
The painting freezes a moment of sublime despair: Mariana, clad in deep blue velvet, kneels on a cold marble floor, her posture strained and exhausted from years of yearning. A circular mirror reflects her fading youth, while scattered letters on the floor symbolize broken vows. Through the stark contrast between the scorching southern light and the somber interior, Waterhouse vividly captures the spiritual exile and self-destruction of a woman consumed by obsession. It is not merely a literary illustration but a haunting portrayal of the universal human fear of being forgotten.