Passion, without it how could an artist create such a powerful piece. Technically, it could be good, but without strong feelings, a strong desire it would be pretty shite. To live a passionless life would fill me with dread and fear. Approach everything/everybody passionately, even your bank manager, especially, your bank manager. . . . maybe, I will wear a garland in my hair the next time I see mine, and yes, he is male. Not a knight, as I've often prayed he was before many meetings...
La Belle Dame Sans Merci, is based upon a poem by John Keats. The Pre-Raphaelites were greatly influenced by his work. Strangely obsessed by fairies, it tells the story of a fairy woman who seduces a "knight at arms" and leaves him to wither away into a slow death (ooohhh what a bitch) surrounded by a dead world. Picking up on Keats's themes, the Pre-Raphaelites often painted and wrote about beautiful but deadly ladies, femme fatale–oh-la-la. In Dicksee’s painting the woman and knight look intensely at each other, but I fear the poor knight is about be duped, well, I guess you could say, he shouldn’t haven’t been so caught up in her beauty in the first place. Typical bloke.
I met a lady in the meads, Full beautiful--a faery's child,
Her hair was long, her foot was light, And her eyes were wild.
I made a garland for her head,
And bracelets too, and fragrant zone;
She looked at me as she did love,
And made sweet moan.
