Undine

A subject from the German fairy-romance ‘Undine’ by Friedrich, Baron de la Motte Fouqué (1777-1843). The water sprite Undine falls in love with Huldbrandt, a knight, who deserts her for the courtly Bertalda. One day as the lovers are sailing along the Danube, Undine emerges from the river and drowns Huldbrandt with a final embrace. Marshall’s figure represents Undine clinging to a rock on the riverbed lamenting the fate of her lover. Marshall worked in Rome from 1835 to 1837 where he came into contact with John Gibson. His ideal subjects were often taken from modern literary rather thatn classical sources.