A museum in Germany experienced an unexpected influx of Taylor Swift fans due to a painting resembling a scene from Swift’s popular music video, “The Fate of Ophelia.” The Hessische Landesmuseum in Wiesbaden saw a surge in visitors over the weekend, including families traveling from various cities and American families from a nearby U.S. army base.
The attraction for the fans was an Art Nouveau painting by Friedrich Heyser depicting Ophelia, a character from William Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet.” In the play, Ophelia, a noblewoman from Denmark, meets a tragic fate.
Heyser’s painting, believed to date back to around 1900, portrays Ophelia in white attire surrounded by white water lilies. The video for “The Fate of Ophelia” features Swift embodying the character of Ophelia, mirroring the painting’s aesthetics. Museum officials noticed the resemblance and decided to organize a special tour for Swift fans, which quickly gained attention online.
The museum staff is delighted by the unexpected attention and plans to offer free admission to fans dressed as either Taylor Swift or Ophelia during a tour scheduled for November 2. Despite attempts to reach out to Swift, the museum has not yet connected with the singer. Museum director Andreas Henning expressed interest in showing Swift the original painting that inspired her video.
Henning views Swift’s use of the painting as a positive opportunity to introduce new audiences to the museum. While the museum cannot confirm if the artwork directly influenced Swift’s song, “The Fate of Ophelia” continues to top music charts in both Germany and the United States.