Hundreds of Taylor Swift fans have flocked to the Wiesbaden State Museum in Germany to view a painting that inspired scenes in the pop superstar's latest music video. The surge in visitors came after Swift released her music video for "The Fate of Ophelia," a track from her recent album "The Life of a Showgirl," which prominently features Friedrich Heyser's "Ophelia" painting from around 1900.
The museum experienced an unexpected boom in attendance last weekend as devoted Swift fans, known as Swifties, traveled to see the artwork that served as inspiration for the video's opening scene. In the video, Swift appears as Ophelia in a framed painting that closely mimics Heyser's Art Nouveau interpretation of the tragic Shakespearean character. The pop star's white dress, pose, and the painting's background elements all mirror the original artwork housed in the German museum.
While many initially expected Swift to reference the more famous version of Ophelia by John Everett Millais (1851-52) from London's Tate collection, the singer chose to highlight Heyser's lesser-known interpretation instead. The decision to feature this specific painting has brought international attention to both the artwork and the Wiesbaden State Museum, introducing the institution to a completely new demographic of visitors.
"We're surprised and happy that Taylor Swift chose this painting from the Museum Wiesbaden as a model for her video," museum director Andreas Henning told Monopol magazine. "This is, of course, a great opportunity to introduce people to the museum who don't yet know us." The museum has not disclosed the exact number of additional visitors, but reports indicate hundreds of people made special trips to see the painting.
The music video contains numerous artistic references throughout, concluding with a shot that recalls the album cover, which had previously drawn comparisons to the Millais painting. Swift's choice to focus on Heyser's version over other famous depictions of Ophelia remains unclear, but the decision has significantly impacted the German museum's visitor numbers and international profile.
"The Fate of Ophelia" references the tragic character from William Shakespeare's "Hamlet," who meets a devastating end in the play. In Shakespeare's work, Hamlet accidentally kills Ophelia's father, leading to the breakdown of their romantic relationship. Overcome by grief, Ophelia ultimately drowns herself in what becomes one of literature's most famous tragic scenes. However, Swift has used her song to reclaim and reinterpret this narrative, giving the character agency in her own story rather than simply portraying her as a victim of circumstances.
