Ophelia

John Everett Millais painted this haunting scene between 1851 and 1852, depicting the drowning of Ophelia from Shakespeare's Hamlet. She floats in a stream, singing, surrounded by wildflowers and reeds. The composition captures the moment just before death, her expression serene despite the tragic circumstances.

Millais spent months painting the background on location at the Hogsmill River in Surrey, working up to eleven hours a day. For the figure, model Elizabeth Siddal lay fully clothed in a bathtub. The oil lamps Millais placed beneath it to warm the water went out unnoticed, and Siddal caught a severe cold. Her father demanded compensation for medical expenses.

The painting's botanical accuracy is notable. Millais included over a dozen species of flowers, each carrying symbolic meaning. A hidden water vole, painted out of the final version, can still be traced beneath the surface. The work now hangs at Tate Britain in London, valued at over £30 million.