Hope (painting)

Hope is a Symbolist oil painting by the English painter George Frederic Watts, who completed the first two versions in 1886. It shows a lone blindfolded female figure sitting on a globe, playing a lyre that has only a single string remaining. Watts intentionally used symbolism not traditionally associated with hope to make the painting’s meaning ambiguous. The painting is now on display at the South Kensington Museum of Art in London, and at the Tate Gallery in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of art.

About Hope (painting) in brief

Summary Hope (painting)Hope is a Symbolist oil painting by the English painter George Frederic Watts, who completed the first two versions in 1886. It shows a lone blindfolded female figure sitting on a globe, playing a lyre that has only a single string remaining. Watts intentionally used symbolism not traditionally associated with hope to make the painting’s meaning ambiguous. Hope proved popular with the Aesthetic Movement, who considered beauty the primary purpose of art and were unconcerned by the ambiguity of its message. Martin Luther King Jr. based a 1959 sermon, now known as Shattered Dreams, on the theme of the painting, as did Jeremiah Wright in Chicago in 1990. Barack Obama used the theme as the theme for his 2004 Democratic National Convention keynote address, and as the title of his 2006 book, ‘The Audacity of Hope’ The painting is now on display at the South Kensington Museum of Art in London, and at the Tate Gallery in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of art, where it is part of a permanent collection of Watts’ works. The original is now in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., and is on show at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, until the end of the 20th century. For more information on the Museum’s collection of works by Watts, visit: http://www.tate.org.uk/museum-of-art/watts-works/hope-and-the-artistic-discovery/ Hope-and the artistic discovery of George Frederic Watts by-George Frederic  Watts, is published by Thames & Hudson, priced £20-£30.

For confidential support call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details. In the U.S. call the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255 or visit http:// www.samaritans.org/. For confidential. support on suicide matters call the Salvation Army in the United States on 1 800 273 8255, or visit the Samaritans on Line in the UK on 08457 90 90 90 or click here for information. For confidential support in the UK, call the National Suicide prevention Line on 0800 457 9090 or  visit http://www the- Samaritans. In the UK and Europe on 0800 909090, or http www.samarsitans.co.uk for confidential support on suicide matters.  For confidential help in the U.S., call the National Suicide Prevention line on 1–800 909090 or visit the United States Samaritanson line on 8457 09090.  In the UK and Europe on the Europe and the Middle East on the East and Africa on the East and the West Roads of the Middle East on the East and the West Road of the East and South Africa on the ‘Roads Of The East and West’s ‘Euphrates’