“Sarah Siddons as the Tragic Muse”
This oil on canvas painting is by the English portrait artist, Joshua Reynolds, and is titled “Sarah Siddons as the Tragic Muse”. Painted between 1783-1784, it is a portrait of the very popular Shakespearean actress of the day, Sarah Siddons, who was 28 years old at the time.
It is said that when Siddons arrived at Reynolds studio to sit for this painting, he said “Ascend upon your undisputed throne, and graciously bestow upon me some great idea of the Tragic Muse”. Her pose, which was recreated by actress Bette Davis in 1957, was said to have come spontaneously to Siddons.
In “Sarah Siddons as the Tragic Muse”, Reynolds painted Siddons as Melpomene, the muse of tragedy in Greek and Roman mythology. His signature is hidden into the hem of her dress. He used stark contrasts in comparing the sitter with the shadows lurking behind her. Siddons is brightly lit and painted with clear outlines while the shadowed figures behind her are dark and almost smokey.
The figure on the left, with the dagger, is said to represent Terror, while the figure on the right, with the (poisoned) chalice, is said to represent fear. One of Siddon’s most famous roles was that of Lady Macbeth and Reynolds meant for his viewers to make that comparison in his piece.
Regardless of her commercial success, Sarah (Kemble) Siddons was plagued with a difficult life. She and her husband, actor William Siddons, had seven children, five of which died before adulthood. Her marriage proved to be difficult, and they eventually separated. She was said to have used this heartbreak in her acting, and was so emotive on stage, that people thought at one time she had actually died during a performance.
By just 20 years old, Sarah Siddons was truly a star and many artists depicted her in their work, including Thomas Gainsborough, Robert Smirke, and Leon-Joseph Chavalliaud. In all, there are said to be approximately 400 portraits painted of Sarah Siddons, though this is by far the most famous.
“Sarah Siddons as the Tragic Muse” is currently on display at the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California.
For more on Joshua Reynolds, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
