A museum in Germany experienced an unexpected surge in 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 significant increase in visitors over the weekend, including a family who traveled from Hamburg and several American families from a nearby U.S. army base.
The visitors, known as Swifties, flocked to see an Art Nouveau painting by Friedrich Heyser depicting Ophelia, a character from Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet.” Ophelia, a noblewoman who meets a tragic end, is featured in Heyser’s painting wearing white surrounded by water lilies, believed to be created around 1900.
In Swift’s music video, she embodies the role of Ophelia, mirroring the painting’s imagery. Museum director Andreas Henning noted the striking resemblance between the video’s opening scene and Heyser’s artwork. The museum team recognized this connection and decided to organize a special tour for Swift fans on November 2, which quickly gained attention online.
Museum spokesperson Susanne Hirschmann expressed excitement about the increased interest, offering free admission to fans dressed as Taylor Swift or Ophelia during the tour. Despite attempts to reach out to Swift, the museum has not made contact with the singer yet. Henning expressed a desire to show Swift the original painting, emphasizing the opportunity to attract new visitors to the museum.
While it remains uncertain if Swift drew inspiration directly from the painting, the museum is pleased that the artwork has garnered attention through the association with the music video. “The Fate of Ophelia” is currently a chart-topping hit in both Germany and the United States, further adding to the painting’s newfound popularity.