Miranda - The Tempest

(click to enlarge) 

John William Waterhouse

(English, 1849-1917)

Miranda - The Tempest, 1916

Oil on canvas

    If by your art, my dearest father, you have
    Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them.
    The sky, it seems, would pour down stinking pitch,
    But that the sea, mounting to the welkin's cheek,
    Dashes the fire out. O, I have suffered
    With those that I saw suffer: a brave vessel,
    Who had, no doubt, some noble creature in her,
    Dash'd all to pieces.
    (The Tempest, I.ii.1–8)

This painting shows Miranda (from Shakespeare's The Tempest) watching a ship toss and turn in a storm Prospero (her father) created purposely to crash the ship.

It was hard to find a high quality photo of this painting and, though the one above is very nice, I think the coloring might be a bit off. So here is a smaller photo with brighter colors:

I love how her hair and her dress are flying in the wind. You can definitely tell there's a tempest happening! And the painting fits the text so well. Just look at how her hand is against her heart,

O, the cry did knock

Against my very heart.

(The Tempest, I.ii.8–9)