Terms and conditions of use
Imogen found by Arviragus, Belarius and Guiderus in the forest
(c. 1790-1795)
- Medium
- oil on canvas
- Measurements
- 63.8 × 76.5 cm
- Accession Number
- 2002.416
- Department
- International Painting
- Credit Line
- National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased through the NGV Foundation with the assistance of the Ian Edgeworth McLean Bequest, Founder Benefactor, 2002
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Ms Carol Grigor through Metal Manufactures Limited - Gallery location
- 19th Century European Paintings Gallery
Level 2, NGV International - About this work
-
This work depicts a scene from William Shakespeare’s now rarely performed play Cymbeline (Act iv, scene ii) in which the Princes Arviragus and Guiderus, along with Belarius, a rival to their father King Cymbeline, discover the apparently lifeless body of their long-lost half-sister Imogen. After being exiled from Court, Imogen was living disguised as a man in a dark forest. The gloomy landscape adds intensity to this moment, and its use as a dramatic element is characteristic of Romantic artists such as Singleton. He executed over 100 paintings illustrating literary themes between 1785 and 1839. Singleton’s powerfully atmospheric paintings and prints were well known throughout Europe.
- Subjects (general)
- Emotions and Mental States Human Figures Literary and Text
- Subjects (specific)
- exile (sociological concept) forests (cultural landscapes) literary characters men (male humans) plays (performing arts compositions) princes (rulers) siblings (people) women (female humans)
- Movements
- Romanticism (modern European styles)
- Provenance
- Included in a sale, Sotheby's, London, 10 July 1996, no. 95, as Arviragus, Belarius, Guiderius and Imogen in the Forest; with Thomas Agnew & Sons (dealer), London by 2000; exhibited Millenium Exhibition, Thomas Agnew & Sons, 8-21 July 2000; from where purchased for the NGV, 2002.