Faust’s First sight of Marguerite [Margaret], 1857. Watercolour and gouache with white highlights on paper, 28 x 245/8 inches (71 x 62.5 cm). Collection of the National Gallery of Ireland, object no. NGI.19602, photo © National Gallery of Ireland. Click on image to enlarge it.
Burton's watercolour takes its subject from the story of Faust - a mythical itinerant alchemist, astrologer, and conjuror who supposedly lived in Germany in the early sixteenth century. His legend was told by Christopher Marlowe in his play The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus of 1604 but most famously by Goethe in the poetic drama Faust. Goethe published this in two parts, the first in 1808, and the second part was published shortly after his death in 1832. The evil spirit Mephistopheles had obtained from God permission to attempt to ruin the soul of Faust because God was certain that Faust would not give in to any of the forms of temptation that Mephistopheles could devise. In return for such a surrender on the part of Faust, he was to experience every possible pleasure, knowledge, and power available to man. The damsel Marguerite is sent to Faust and her youth and beauty at once attracted him. He seduced her despite the knowledge that he was fulfilling the evil scheme of Mephistopheles. When Marguerite dies Faust becomes sunk in misery and self-loathing. The episode shown in Burton's watercolour comes from Part I of Goethe's version of the story. It depicts the moment when Faust first glimpses the simple and innocent Marguerite as she walks in an arcaded street. She seems to withdraw from his intrusive stare, but he is obviously mesmerised by her. The sinister figure of Mephistopheles can be seen In the street beyond watching to see the outcome of his evil scheme.
Lorenzo and Isabella, a detail of William Holman Hunt’s [The Eve of Saint Agnes] The Flight of Madeleine and Porphyro during the Drunkenness attending the Revelry. Click on image for complete painting.
The significance of this work to the artist, and the careful attention he gave to its composition, is demonstrated by the number of preparatory sketches and studies that he made for it. As many as 81 related drawings were included in the sale of the contents of Burton's studio after his death at Christie's on June 21, 1901 (lots 91, 125 and 146). It was one of the most important early works that he exhibited at the Old Water Colour Society. In 1857 Burton wrote from Munich to the administrator of the Old Water Colour Society that he did not want an expositional quote added to the painting’s title: “I believe ‘Faust’ is as well known to the educated English public as to the Germans…At all events if a picture does not tell its own story no quotations will help the matter so we shall just leave it with the simple title” (Maclean, Burton, 60). Adrian Le Harivel has commented about Faust’s first sight of Marguerite: “The finished work was praised for its ‘pure tones, firm touch, rich colour and the shy and innocent loveliness of Marguerite’s face’. Goethe’s Faust had been recognized as a key romantic drama when published in 1808 and he was on the third tier of the Pre-Raphaelites pyramid of revered historical figures. An illustration from it had been in Burton’s mind since at least 1846 when he made a memoranda of possible incidents, though not this particular scene from part one. Here Faust catches sight of the innocent Marguerite whom he will later seduce bringing about her death…Faust’s pose may be derived from Porphyro in Holman Hunt’s Eve of St. Agnes. The concern for accurate detail in the Romanesque interior and clarity of colour are also links to the Pre-Raphaelites.”
When this work was shown at the O.W.S. exhibition in 1857 it was generally favourably reviewed. The reviewer for The National Magazine was enthusiastic in his praise:
The picture which appears as the leader of the exhibition is Mr. F. W. Burton’s single work, No. 130, ‘Faust’s first sight of Margaret.’ The latter hastens from the ardent regard of Faust, but with a languid reluctance, which is perfectly expressed (indeed, wisely suggested) by her face and action; there is a sort of tender petulance in this that is a complete conception of the character, which really we have never seen so truly given, although quite aware of the great hands which have dealt with the subject. Faust’s figure appears clumsy and coarse, and that of Mephistopheles common. We consider this the best picture, because it is the most successful resolution of the greatest problem in art – a beautiful and characteristic human face with perfectly just and natural expression. Other faults and other merits are quite out of sphere with this. [212]
The critic of The Art Journal gave the painting mixed praise, first explaining the picture’s subject “No. 130. ‘Faust’s first sight of Margaret.’ The characteristic points of this picture are so numerous as to suggest observations of diverse tendency. That part of the tragedy from which the subject is derived, is the street-scene, after that of the Witch’s kitchen…Margaret is just come from confession, and Faust has addressed her in the street, at which, in alarm, she hurries onward, having declined his company; he looks after her in enthusiastic admiration. Margaret herself declines the courteous appellative ‘Fräulein:’” (178). According to the The Art Journal Margaret’s dress might have been more attractive but her face wasa great success: – “nothing can be less graceful than the gathering of the petticoat by the taschengürtel. The bust also may in its fashion be true, but it, too, is wanting in form; nothing, however, could be more successful than the face, in the reflection of that innocence over which Mephistopheles declared he had no power. The head and attire of Faust are unexceptional, but the figure is heavy and the lower limbs ungainly – the feet even turn in. It is an ambitious picture, and in execution beyond all praise” (178). The critic of The Athenaeum praised Burton’s drawing but thought the subject unoriginal: “If a felicitous new treatment of this old encounter is to be found, Mr. Burton has failed of the discovery, though his drawing has the merits of pure tone, firm touch, and rich colour. Faust, who stoops inquiringly forward, has burly limbs, out of proportion to the smallness of his head, - Margaret has too thread-like a figure, to which the needlessly pedantic arrangement of her costume gives an ineffective subdivision; but there is shy and innocent loveliness in her face. Mephistopheles, again, is weak; the place he occupies rendered some effacement necessary, otherwise his countenance might intrude too sharply close to that of his pupil. The effect of colour obtained by his yellowish green dress has been purchased too dearly” (571).
Two details from the painting. Left: Marguerite. Right: Sculpture of Angel. [
John Ruskin was certainly unimpressed and gave his not unusual curmudgeonly assessment on the picture in his Academy Notes: “I am at a loss to know why this picture is in a central position; it possesses no special merit of any kind. The face of Margaret is pretty, but wholly untouched by the feeling which prompts her first sharp answer: ‘I am neither a lady, nor pretty, and can go home by myself.’ For the rest, it is simply a stage dress and a stage stride; and the colouring is more false and crude than that of almost any picture in the room. The red of the cloak, for instance, is daubed about at random, coming bright in the shadow or dirty in the light, as chance will have it. I entirely dislike Faust, and am sick of illustrations of it; but I wonder whether any painter will ever do it so much justice as to represent Mephistopheles with the face of a man who could either tempt or deceive”(128-29).
The first Pre-Raphaelite painter to show an interest in Goethe’s Faust was D. G. Rossetti. Rossetti was executing drawings based on this story as early as 1846, even prior to the founding of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Rossetti’s interest in this subject would continue in particular over the next two years, but arose again at intervals until the end of his life. Rossetti appears never to have treated this particular incident of Faust’s first sight of Marguerite from the story. Rossetti’s interest in Faust may have been influenced by the work of Theodore von Holst, a painter Rossetti greatly admired. Walter Deverell's painting Margaret in Prison visited by Faust was shown at the Royal Academy in 1848. The second generation Pre-Raphaelite painter Henry Holiday also painted a version of Faust and Marguerite.
Bibliography
Le Harivel, Adrian. “The Meeting on the Turret Stairs by Frederic William Burton.” Brochure for the exhibition held at the National Gallery of Ireland, February 7 – May 11, 1997.
Maclean, Janet. “Picturing poetry – Burton and the Rossetti circle.” In Frederic William Burton For the Love of Art. Dublin: National Gallery of Ireland, 2017.
“The Water-Colour Societies. The Old Society. – Fifty-third Exhibition.” The National Magazine 2 (August 1857): 211-212.
“The Exhibition of the Society of Painters in Water Colours.” The Art Journal New Series 3 (1857): 177-178.
“Fine Arts. The Water-Colour Exhibitions.” The Athenaeum No. 1540 (May 2, 1857): 571-572.
Ruskin, John: “Academy Notes 1857– Old Water-Colour Society.” In E. T. Cook and Alexander Wedderburn Eds. In The Works of John Ruskin 14 London: George Allen, 1903.
Last modified 12 April 2022