Swifties Visit German Museum in Large Numbers

A German museum is experiencing an unexpected surge in visitors due to a recent Taylor Swift music video. The Museum Wiesbaden has become a focal point for fans after the release of Swift’s video for the song “The Fate of Ophelia,” from her album “The Life of a Showgirl.” The video appears to reference Friedrich Wilhelm Theodor Heyser’s 1900 painting “Ophelia,” which depicts the Shakespearean character in a stream, an image mirrored in the music video where Swift is featured lying in a similar manner.

Since the video’s debut, which has amassed nearly 63 million views, the museum has seen a significant influx of art enthusiasts, including some who traveled considerable distances to view the painting linked to Swift’s work. The museum has even extended an invitation to Swift to visit the artwork herself, though no response has been received.

This phenomenon underscores the influence of contemporary music artists in drawing attention to historical art pieces, merging modern pop culture with classic art references. Swift’s album cover also draws inspiration from John Everett Millais’s renowned “Ophelia,” emphasizing the continued relevance and reinterpretation of art across different media.