Randolph Henry Ash's Proserpine had been seen as a Victorian reflection of religious doubt, a meditation on the myths of resurrection. Lord Leighton had painted her, distraught and floating, a golden figure in a tunnel of darkness. Blackadder
In A.S. Byatt's novel "Possession," Randolph Henry Ash’s portrayal of Proserpine symbolizes the Victorian era's themes of existential uncertainty and the contemplation of rebirth myths. This character embodies a deep sense of longing and introspection against a backdrop of spiritual questioning that was prevalent at the time.
The painting by Lord Leighton captures this essence perfectly, depicting Proserpine as a captivating, golden figure trapped in a dark tunnel, expressing both despair and beauty. This imagery reinforces the novel's exploration of how art and literature reflect and interrogate complex feelings of life, death, and the possibility of resurrection.
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All the things you can talk about in anyone's work are the things that are least important.
Race of Cain, ascend to heaven, And cast God down upon the earth!
