Il Penseroso
1848
oil
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1848
oil
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Il Penseroso is a 1848 oil by Charles West Cope, a British Romanticism work, depicting Mary Magdalene, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows a young man in deep shadow, sitting on a stone bench. His head rests on his hand. Moonlight glints off his pale face. It’s based on a poem by John Milton. He calls on the goddess Melancholy to guide his mind. The mood is quiet and thoughtful, not sad. Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more Romantic art.
This oil painting by Charles West Cope, completed in 1848, illustrates John Milton’s 1632 poem *Il Penseroso*, depicting an invocation to the goddess Melancholy for a life of contemplation. The work, exhibited at the Royal Academy, reflects the 19th-century shift toward literary and sentimental subjects in art. Cope, known for his literary and historical themes, studied fresco painting in Italy and contributed works to the Palace of Westminster. The painting was donated to the collection in 1857 by collector John Sheepshanks.
Read the full account in the museum source.
English painter Charles West Cope made quiet, tender scenes of family life and scenes from John Milton’s poems in the 1840s.
See the richer artist page
