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Prospero reveals Ferdinand to Miranda

George Francis ARA Joseph

1795

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Neoclassicism Romanticism 18th Century Allegory

Dominant colour

Prospero reveals Ferdinand to Miranda is a 1795 watercolor by George Francis ARA Joseph, a Neoclassicism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: George Francis ARA Joseph
When & what style?: 1795 · Neoclassicism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This painting shows three figures in a rocky, stormy landscape. On the left, a robed man points toward a woman kneeling in front of him. She wears a loose, flowing dress and looks down. To the right stands a man in military clothes, holding a sword and a medal around his neck. Above them, a winged figure floats, holding a glowing staff. The painting’s drama comes from the contrast between light and shadow, especially on the faces and drapery. The artist used soft edges and muted colors to create a dreamy, emotional mood. If you like this style, look up Romanticism next.

The story of this work

Overview

A watercolour by George Francis Joseph from 1795 depicts Prospero showing Ferdinand to Miranda in Act I, Scene II of Shakespeare's *The Tempest*. The work is signed and dated by the artist and may correspond to a piece exhibited at the Royal Academy that same year under the title *Scene in the Tempest*.

Read the full account in the museum source.