House of Life

“HOPE” 1885 1886 by George Frederick Watts

“The picture is one of a series of allegorical subjects which Watts intended for a decorative scheme known as the ‘House of Life’. Traditionally the figure of Hope is identified by an anchor, but Watts was seeking a fresher, more original approach. He painted blind Hope seated on a globe and playing on a lyre which has all its strings broken except one. She bends her head to listen to the faint music, but her efforts appear forlorn; the overall atmosphere is one of sadness and desolation rather than hope. The picture’s sense of melancholy is enhanced by the soft brushwork and the translucent mists that envelop the floating globe.”