William Dyce Omnia Vanitas 1848 Painting Postcard

RA9  This is a beautiful undated but modern published official postcard from Londons Royal Academy Of Arts for this great 1848 painting by William Dyce called Omnia Vanitas with artist details, dates, dimensions etc & Royal Academy Of Arts logo on reverse being the official souvenir from when exhibited unused and mint. 

In this painting, Omnia Vanitas (i.e. 'All is vanity'), Dyce demonstrated his interests in historical and religious art while also alluding to a very Victorian pre-occupation, the 'fallen woman', who is represented here in the guise of the repentant Mary Magdalene. Dyce was a close friend of the great Liberal politician and future prime minister, William Ewart Gladstone, who began a campaign to 'redeem' prostitutes at around this time.

Inspired by early Renaissance painting and the work of the 19th-century German Nazarene School, Dyce's composition is classically arranged with the shape of the figure forming a triangle against an uncluttered background. He uses a limited palette of tones but with cool clear colours.