Olivia and Maria 1822

Robert Smirke painted "Olivia and Maria" sometime between the late 18th and early 19th century. His art often illustrated literary works. As a painter of the British Enlightenment, Smirke captures the movement’s interest in classical themes and its focus on reason and order. This painting visualizes a scene from Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night." We see Olivia, a wealthy countess, and her gentlewoman Maria. The contrast in their attire reflects their difference in social class. Olivia is draped in elegant, classical robes, while Maria is in more modest clothing. Smirke’s painting invites us to consider the complexities of gender and class in the Shakespearean narrative. What does it mean for a woman to have power in a patriarchal society? How do social hierarchies shape our identities and relationships? "Twelfth Night" cleverly uses comedy to explore these themes, and Smirke visualizes the source material with a certain painterly precision. It captures a moment of both social definition, and interiority.