Medea
Frederick Sandys, 1868Fine art reproduction on 200gsm matte paper. A5 to A1, plus 12x16, 18x24 and 24x36 inches.A low bed, soft linen, and above it a sorceress mixing a potion. Picture Medea keeping watch over your bedroom.
Medea by Frederick Sandys shows the sorceress of Greek mythology pouring a potion into the flames, her eyes fixed on something only she can see. She is the princess who helped Jason steal the Golden Fleece. Behind her, his ship the Argo sails across a gold sky, and the Fleece hangs among the oaks. Look closely at the table. Two toads sit inside a circle of red thread, part of her spell. Burnished gold, bone white and coral red, ornate and full of hidden symbols.
Sandys painted Medea in 1868, and the Royal Academy refused to hang it. His friends protested in the press, and the painting went on show the following year to warm reviews. His model was Keomi Gray, a Romani woman he met in Norwich. Notice her coral necklaces, painted bead by bead. Sandys was born in Norwich in 1829, the son of a dyer turned painter, and became one of the finest draughtsmen of his age. The original belongs to Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
The look
Burnished gold, bone white and coral red above a marble ledge. Intense and ornate, and full of hidden symbols, so every corner rewards a closer look. Pre Raphaelite wall art for a dark academia study, a reading room or a gothic bedroom.
Sizes
| Size | Centimetres | Inches |
|---|---|---|
| A5 | 14.8 x 21 cm | 5.8 x 8.3 in |
| A4 | 21 x 29.7 cm | 8.3 x 11.7 in |
| A3 | 29.7 x 42 cm | 11.7 x 16.5 in |
| A2 | 42 x 59.4 cm | 16.5 x 23.4 in |
| A1 | 59.4 x 84.1 cm | 23.4 x 33.1 in |
| 12 x 16 in | 30.5 x 40.6 cm | 12 x 16 in |
| 18 x 24 in | 45.7 x 61 cm | 18 x 24 in |
| 24 x 36 in | 61 x 91.4 cm | 24 x 36 in |
Custom sizes on request. Inch sizes have a slightly different shape from A sizes, so the edges trim a little. Size guide
Frames and delivery
Choose a black, white or oak frame, or order the print unframed. It is printed locally in the UK, Europe, the US, Canada or Australia, at the location closest to you. Free tracked shipping, no customs fees. Printing and delivery
Gifting
A striking gift for a birthday or a housewarming. A spell cast in paint.
More like this
More Medea in our Greek Mythology Wall Art collection: Jason and Medea by John William Waterhouse, alongside his Circe Invidiosa. For more Sandys, see Morgan le Fay by Frederick Sandys in Pre Raphaelite Art.
