Pygmalion and the statue
1878
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1878
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
Pygmalion and the statue is a 1878 watercolor by John Tenniel, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows a man kneeling in front of a tall, pale statue of a woman. The man’s hand rests on the statue’s leg, and his face is close to hers, as if he’s looking up in wonder. The statue stands on a stone pedestal in a dim room, with a few scattered objects like a book and a vase nearby. The soft lighting makes the statue glow against the dark background, almost like she’s alive. The artist used smooth brushstrokes to blend shadows and light. Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.
The illustration depicts the moment from the Greek myth when Pygmalion’s marble sculpture is brought to life by Aphrodite, showing the woman as an object of his idealized desire. She appears passive and demure, her nudity framed by Victorian ideals of modesty, with only a blush on her face and shoulders indicating her awakening sexuality. Pygmalion’s worshipful embrace and elevated pedestal reinforce the theme of male agency in shaping female identity. The scene contrasts her chaste marble whiteness with the faint blush of life, symbolizing the transition from inanimate object to responsive…
Read the full account in the museum source.
John Tenniel drew like he was arguing with his own pencil—always precise, sometimes dry, never flashy.
See the richer artist pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
