In reimagining Sarah Bernhardt’s iconic 1880 sculpture of Ophelia, I employed a technique that plays with the interplay of light and shadow, sculpting the piece to feature pronounced textures. This approach creates a landscape of highs and lows across Ophelia’s figure, enhancing the visual depth and bringing to life new layers of her form.
For the color palette, I chose to hand-paint the sculpture with the rich, warm hues reminiscent of an autumn garden. This application of color not only complements the natural environment often associated with Ophelia but also introduces a stark contrast to the character’s inherent sorrow, infusing the work with a sense of natural beauty.
My objective with this reinterpretation was to encapsulate the ephemeral beauty of autumn, where everything is beautiful yet fleeting, mirroring Ophelia’s own tragic narrative. This blend of detailed shadowing with the gentle, fading colors of fall aims to evoke a poignant reflection on beauty, sorrow, and the transient nature of life.
Material:
Urethane
Size:
18” x 23” x 2.5” (46cm x 58cm x 6.3cm)
Technique:
Urethane casting & hand painting
