Paulus Bor – The Disillusioned Medea (The Enchantress) Metropolitan Museum: part 1

Here we observe a woman seated in what appears to be a state of profound melancholy. The composition is dominated by a tenebrist style – a dramatic interplay of light and shadow – which emphasizes her isolation within the scene. A single, intense beam illuminates her face and upper torso, leaving much of the background shrouded in darkness. This stark contrast draws immediate attention to her expression and posture.
The woman’s head rests heavily on her hand, a gesture indicative of weariness or despair. Her gaze is directed downwards, avoiding direct contact with the viewer, reinforcing a sense of inward reflection and emotional withdrawal. The elaborate costume she wears – a rich combination of blue, gold, and white fabrics – suggests a position of status or power, yet this grandeur seems at odds with her evident distress. A decorative brush lies loosely in her hand, perhaps hinting at creative endeavors now abandoned or tainted by disappointment.
Flanking the woman are two sculpted figures: an angel on the left and a classical urn on the right. The angel appears to be draped in garlands of flowers, its expression ambiguous – perhaps sorrowful, perhaps resigned. Its presence introduces a layer of spiritual contemplation, suggesting that the woman’s disillusionment may extend beyond earthly concerns. The urn, adorned with relief carvings depicting mythological scenes, further anchors the work within a classical tradition and alludes to themes of loss, memory, and the passage of time.
The dark background is not merely an absence of detail; it functions as a visual void that amplifies the woman’s solitude. It also creates a sense of depth, pushing her forward into the viewers space. The overall effect is one of quiet drama – a portrayal of a figure grappling with profound disappointment and loss, surrounded by symbols of beauty and tradition that offer little solace. There is an underlying tension between outward appearance and inner turmoil, suggesting a narrative of shattered expectations or a crisis of identity.