Brynhild is a figure from Norse mythology, who vowed to only marry the bravest of warriors. As a test she slept in the Ring of Fire waiting for a hero who could ride through the flames. In Watts’s painting, Brynhild is shown asleep in the midst of the fire: her pale complexion glowing in the deep red flames which blend, almost seamlessly, with her auburn hair in a violent fiery swirl. Watts was a close friend of Leighton and lived on neighbouring Melbury Road. This painting was not part of Leighton’s original collection, but he did own several works by the artist.
1880
Oil on canvas
65.0 x 51.0cm
LH0073
Image and text © The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, 2020
Where you'll find this
Leighton House
Permanent collection