The Garden of Opportunity
The Garden of Opportunity

Image credit: De Morgan Collection

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In the Garden of Opportunity, we see on the right symbols of learning and wisdom. The bench is decorated with an owl, the wise bird, and with the cornucopia of the wealth of the earth. A book lies discarded on the bench. Behind is a church, the medieval seat of learning. The mill and water wheel behind the bench represent all the riches of the earth, harvested for the benefit of humanity. In front of the bench is Wisdom herself, in an attitude of despair, at her feet the discarded riches that she can bring to those who follow her. The central figures are two medieval students, dressed in colourful robes, who have turned their backs on wisdom and learning, and are moving towards Folly, represented by the female figure on the left. Against a desolate background, she tempts them towards a castle, symbol of transient wealth.

Title

The Garden of Opportunity

Date

1892

Medium

oil on canvas

Measurements

H 92 x W 168.5 cm

Accession number

P_EDM_0029

Acquisition method

gift

Work type

Painting

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De Morgan Collection

England

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