Fedalma

George Fuller, Fedalma, 1883-1884, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of John Gellatly, 1929.6.45
Copied George Fuller, Fedalma, 1883-1884, oil on canvas, 42 1⁄8 x 30 3⁄8 in. (107.0 x 77.0 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of John Gellatly, 1929.6.45
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Fedalma
Artist
Date
1883-1884
Location
Dimensions
42 1⁄8 x 30 3⁄8 in. (107.0 x 77.0 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of John Gellatly
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Literature — Eliot — Spanish Gypsy
  • Roma
  • Spanish
  • Figure female
Object Number
1929.6.45
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1929.6.45

Artwork Description

This painting shows the heroine of George Eliot's poem The Spanish Gypsy. In the poem Fedalma must choose between family duty and the prospect of a happy marriage with a wealthy duke ("Women in the Literary Marketplace," Cornell Univ. Library Web site). Fuller chose to show her holding a gold necklace, a gift from the duke that symbolized the splendor he could offer her.