Waterhouse Paintings
1849 - 1917 Painter,England, Victorian Romanticism
Tristan and Isolde with the Potion
Oil on canvas, 43 x 32 inches (109.22 x 81.28 cm)
Collection of Fred and Sherry Ross Mythological Art
Here is the story behind the "Tristan and Isolde with the Potion" of Waterhouse. Before Tristan and Isolde the Fair left Ireland, Queen Isolde had prepared a love potion for her daughter and King Mark. The Queen gave the philtre to Brangwain, her daughter's companion and maidservant, to administer the potion to her daughter and the king (Mark), because she suspect that her daughter would not be happy with the Cornish king.
As Tristan sailed back to Ireland with Isolde, they became thirsty. Tristan found the bottle of wine containing the love potion. Together they shared the wine, and fell instantly in love with one another. They made love on the ship before arriving in Cornwall.
Brangwain discovered what had happened to her lady and inform the lovers. The lovers realised what had happen, but could not control their passions for one another. Though Tristan knew that Isolde must still marry his uncle, Isolde had already lost her maidenhood to him.
At Tintagel, King Mark welcomed his bride, and fell instantly love with the beautiful Isolde. When they were wedded, they retired to the bedchamber. In the bridal bed, Isolde switched places with Brangwain. To cover Isolde's loss of virginity Brangwain would sleep with Isolde's husband in the dark. Therefore Mark would take Brangwain's maidenhood, but think that it was Isolde's.
Once again, Isolde spent the night in her lover's arms. Before daylight, Isolde would leave Tristan and secretly return to her husband's bed.
According to Thomas, in the morning, Brangwain gave the rest of the wine containing the love potion to Mark, so that the king would be madly in love with Isolde.
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