Marie Spartali Stillman ( British, 1844-1927 ) - The Enchanted Garden, 1889

 

      The work draws on a story from The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio. In the tale, the nobleman Ansaldo attempts to win the married Madonna Dianora by fulfilling her seemingly impossible demand: to create a blooming garden in the middle of winter.

      Stillman’s watercolour depicts the dramatic moment when the miracle appears to have been achieved. Framed by architectural arches that reveal a frozen, snow-covered landscape outside, the enclosed garden bursts with flowers, blossoms, and fruit trees in full bloom. Dianora and her attendants, still wrapped in heavy winter cloaks, gaze in astonishment at the impossible scene. While the women react with wonder, Dianora herself appears downcast, troubled by the promise she believes she must now keep. The narrative ultimately resolves happily, when her husband learns the truth and Ansaldo releases her from the vow.