Rapunzel 1908

Frank Cadogan Cowper made this painting of Rapunzel with oil paint, but we don’t know exactly when. There is something so tactile and dreamlike about the flowing hair of this damsel in distress. The gold and red patterns on the fabric of her dress feel so present, but at the same time, because of the texture of the paint, they are dissolving into another time. The way the hair flows down the wall is all about the process. You can almost see Cowper moving his brush down the canvas, not wanting to stop. Look at the way the roses climb up from the bottom left and how their leaves contrast with the stone. They are symbols that embrace ambiguity and multiple interpretations. Like much great art, this piece leaves you with more questions than answers.