The Origin of the Harp

Daniel Maclise painted The Origin of the Harp around 1842, depicting the Irish legend in which the first harp was made from the skeleton of a mermaid — specifically her fingers and hair forming the strings. The Celtic mythological subject was unusual in the mainstream British art world and reflects Maclise's Irish heritage, which gave him access to a body of legend and folklore not commonly treated in London exhibition painting. The mermaid figure — half woman, half fish, transformed into a musical instrument — gave him opportunity for the combination of decorative beauty, mythological narrative, and the female form that characterized his most ambitious exhibition paintings.

Maclise's meticulous draughtsmanship is evident in the precise rendering of the figure and the harp-like transformation. The luminous, jewel-toned palette and sinuous lines create a dreamlike quality suited to the mythological subject.