Oh, Swallow, Swallow

George Holt greatly admired Strudwick’s work and he commissioned this painting. When it was exhibited at the New Gallery in London in 1895, it was shown with lines from Alfred Tennyson’s (1809-1892) poem ‘The Princess, A Medley’ (1847): O Swallow, flying from the golden woods, Fly to her, and pipe and woo her, and make her mine, And tell her, tell her, that I follow thee. Strudwick shows a swallow at the window bringing a message of love. The girl, distracted by thoughts of her admirer, holds a golden chain with heart pendants.