Meaning of Sigismunda Mourning over the Heart of Guiscardo

A Deep Analysis of William Hogarth’s Emotional Masterpiece

Among the emotionally resonant paintings of the 18th century, few possess the dramatic intensity and narrative depth of Sigismunda Mourning over the Heart of Guiscardo, a late work by the British artist William Hogarth. Created in 1759, this painting represents a shift in Hogarth’s artistic direction, away from his satirical engravings toward a more classical and emotionally charged aesthetic. While Hogarth is widely known for his moral tales and social commentary, Sigismunda is a rare example of him attempting a serious historical and tragic theme, rendered in the style of grand history painting.

The painting is based on a story from The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio, specifically the tale of Guiscardo and Sigismunda, which became emblematic of romantic tragedy in the 18th century. Hogarth’s Sigismunda is laden with emotional symbolism, narrative complexity, and artistic ambition, offering insight into his intentions to elevate British art to the level of European masters like Titian and Rubens.

This in-depth exploration analyzes the painting’s narrative, symbolism, stylistic choices, creation, critical reception, and its place in both art history and contemporary collections.

The Story Behind the Painting: Who Was Sigismunda and What Happened?

To fully appreciate Sigismunda Mourning over the Heart of Guiscardo, it is essential to understand the tragic tale that inspired it. The story is drawn from the first tale on the fourth day of Boccaccio’s Decameron. In the story, Sigismunda is the daughter of Tancredi, Prince of Salerno. She secretly falls in love with Guiscardo, a man of lower birth who serves in her father’s court. Despite their social differences, the two lovers share a profound and passionate bond.

Their secret love affair is discovered by Tancredi, who, enraged by what he sees as an unforgivable betrayal of honor, orders Guiscardo to be murdered. The act itself is chilling: Tancredi has Guiscardo’s heart cut out and sent to Sigismunda in a golden goblet. Upon receiving this gruesome token, Sigismunda is consumed by grief. She drinks poison and dies, thus reuniting herself in death with her beloved.

This is the moment Hogarth chose to immortalize in paint, the precise instant when Sigismunda receives the heart of Guiscardo and mourns not only the loss of her lover but the cruelty of her father and the destruction of her world.

Creation and Artistic Background: Why Hogarth Painted It

William Hogarth painted Sigismunda Mourning over the Heart of Guiscardo in 1759, during the final years of his life. By this time, Hogarth was a respected figure in English art, known for his satirical prints such as A Rake’s Progress and Marriage A-la-Mode, which critiqued the follies of 18th-century society. Yet, Hogarth yearned to be taken seriously not only as a moralist but as a fine artist capable of executing “high art” in the tradition of the Old Masters.

He was particularly driven to prove that British painters could create works of moral and historical depth to rival those of Italian and French painters. To that end, Sigismunda was meant to be Hogarth’s pièce de résistance, his answer to the classical tradition of history painting. He claimed that the subject was suggested to him by a passage in Dryden’s translation of Boccaccio and that he was struck by its emotional gravity.

Hogarth painted the work entirely on his own, without studio assistants, pouring his soul into the expression, detail, and psychological depth of the composition. He hoped the painting would prove his abilities to critics who dismissed him as merely a satirist. Ironically, it became one of his most controversial and divisive works.

What Is Happening in the Painting?

In Sigismunda Mourning over the Heart of Guiscardo, the viewer is drawn immediately to the central figure of Sigismunda. She is seated, enveloped in soft, golden light that highlights her luminous skin and classical drapery. Her face is filled with sorrow, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. She cradles the ornate goblet in which Guiscardo’s heart has been placed, and her body is slumped in both physical and emotional exhaustion.

The background is subdued, drawing the eye toward her facial expression and the gruesome artifact in her hands. The emotional tone is intimate, subdued, and reflective. Unlike the dramatic, action-packed scenes typical of Baroque painting, this is a quiet moment of internal devastation. Her sorrow is private, yet universal, reflecting the depths of loss and mourning.

Hogarth deliberately avoided the use of overt horror. The heart itself is not rendered with gory realism but is hinted at, its terrible presence symbolized rather than shown in visceral detail. This restraint allows the psychological anguish to take precedence over the physical horror of the scene.

What Does the Sigismunda Painting Mean?

Sigismunda Mourning over the Heart of Guiscardo is a masterclass in emotional symbolism and moral storytelling. The painting explores multiple intertwined themes:

1. Grief and Love

At its core, the painting is about the agony of love lost. Sigismunda’s expression is one of profound heartbreak. Her mourning transcends time and culture, representing the universal pain of losing someone dear. The goblet containing the heart is the literal vessel of her grief, but also a metaphorical container of her love, her sorrow, and the cruelty of fate.

2. The Conflict Between Passion and Duty

Sigismunda is torn between her love for Guiscardo and her loyalty to her father. Tancredi’s authoritarian response to her romantic involvement with a man of lower social status underscores the societal and familial constraints imposed on women. Sigismunda’s tragedy is also a moral one, she is punished for following her heart in a world where obedience is prized over passion.

3. Mortality and Fate

The presence of the human heart, though subtly rendered, is a stark reminder of mortality. It emphasizes the fragility of life and the inevitability of death. The poisoned chalice becomes a symbol of choice and agency in death, as Sigismunda resolves to join Guiscardo in the afterlife rather than live in a world devoid of love.

4. Femininity and Heroism

Unlike many female figures in tragic paintings who are rendered as passive or submissive, Sigismunda possesses a quiet strength. Her grief is intense, but she is not depicted as hysterical or broken. She is a heroine in her own right, enduring the weight of her sorrow with dignity and depth.

Artistic Style and Classification

Hogarth’s Sigismunda belongs to the genre of history painting, which in the 18th century was considered the highest form of art. History paintings depicted scenes from literature, mythology, history, or scripture and were expected to convey moral messages through grand composition and classical techniques.

Stylistically, the painting shows the influence of the Venetian Renaissance, particularly Titian and Veronese, in its warm palette, luxurious drapery, and soft modeling. Hogarth sought to emulate the richness and emotion of their works. The brushwork is careful and refined, and the composition is intimate yet grand, centered around a single tragic figure.

Despite this, critics of the time were not convinced. Many thought the painting overly theatrical or lacking in subtlety compared to continental examples. Some believed the expression of grief was exaggerated, and the subject morbid. But modern viewers may be more inclined to appreciate the raw emotional truth and human vulnerability the painting expresses.

Critical Reception

When Hogarth exhibited Sigismunda in 1761, the response was largely negative. Critics compared it unfavorably to works by Italian masters, and many saw it as a failed attempt at “high art.” Horace Walpole was particularly harsh, describing the painting as both affected and unconvincing.

Stung by the criticism, Hogarth never again attempted such an ambitious project. The painting remained unsold during his lifetime, and even after his death, it failed to gain the appreciation he had hoped for. Yet, with time, the painting has been reassessed. Today, it is recognized not only for its technical merits but for its emotional honesty and its place in the development of British art.

Hogarth’s Sigismunda marked an important moment: a British artist attempting to bridge the gap between satirical narrative and noble tragedy, aiming to elevate the national art scene.

Where Is Sigismunda Painting Today?

Today, Sigismunda Mourning over the Heart of Guiscardo is housed in the Tate Britain in London. The painting is part of the national collection and can be viewed by the public. It remains an important artifact of 18th-century British painting and a testament to William Hogarth’s broader aspirations beyond satire.

The painting is often included in exhibitions dealing with romantic tragedy, moral narratives in art, or the evolution of British painting. Its presence in the Tate offers viewers an opportunity to reconsider Hogarth not only as a social commentator but also as a painter of emotional and psychological complexity.

Sigismunda Mourning over the Heart of Guiscardo stands as a haunting and deeply affecting exploration of love, grief, and moral conflict. Painted at a time when William Hogarth sought to transcend the limitations of genre and national prejudice, it reveals the artist’s ambition, vulnerability, and humanity.

The work remains a rich text for analysis, not only for what it shows, but for what it represents in the life of the artist and the history of British painting. It is a story within a story: a narrative of doomed lovers rendered through the tragic lens of a painter struggling to assert the emotional and moral dignity of his craft.

While not celebrated in its time, Sigismunda has earned its place in the canon as a painting of uncommon emotional resonance and artistic courage. In the quiet grief of its subject, we find echoes of timeless sorrow, making it a painting as relevant and affecting today as it was more than two centuries ago.