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A detail of two paintings by John Melhuish Strudwick where where music, poetry, and medieval fantasy entwine. (Left) A detail of "'Thy Music, faintly falling, dies away,Thy dear eyes dream that Love will live for aye," which is estimated to sell between $940,000 and $1.3 million. (Right) A detail of "In the Golden Days" sold for over $430,000 in 1987. Christies
On June 30, Christie’s will present John Melhuish Strudwick’s “Thy Music, faintly falling, dies away, Thy dear eyes dream that Love will live for aye.” The jewel-like Pre-Raphaelite work intertwines music, poetry, and medieval fantasy.
Exceptional even within Strudwick’s unusually small output of 39 known paintings, the work carries a provenance that reads like a cross-section of Victorian industry and modern cultural life. It began with its purchase directly from the artist by a prominent shipowner, later passing through the hands of a musician, then a scholar, and finally a literary agent. Its reappearance after decades in private collections brings to light a painting long bound up with figures who shaped both artistic and literary history.
Beauty, Symbolism, and the Language of Music
Rich in decorative detail and poetic symbolism, “Thy Music, faintly falling, dies away, Thy dear eyes dream that Love will live for aye” (sometimes referred to as “Golden Strings”) exemplifies the qualities that have made Strudwick one of the most sought-after figures of the late Pre-Raphaelite movement. Its idealized figures, sumptuous textiles, and medieval-inspired setting reflect an artistic vision devoted to beauty, craftsmanship, and emotional resonance.
Sarah Isak-Goode is a writer and art historian rooted in the Pacific Northwest. Her name—pronounced EYE-zik-good and meaning "good laugh"—hints at the warmth she brings to everything she does. Equal parts scholar and storyteller, Sarah brings the past to life through a distinctly human lens, exploring what connects us across the centuries. Away from her desk, she feeds her curiosity through traveling, painting, reading, and hiking with her dog, Thor.
