Museum unexpectedly overrun by Taylor Swift fans after painting inspires music video
Why Taylor Swift fans are flocking to a German museum in their droves
- A German museum has experienced a significant increase in visitors after one of its paintings was noted for its striking resemblance to the opening scene of Taylor Swift's music video, "The Fate of Ophelia."
- The Hessische Landesmuseum in Wiesbaden welcomed hundreds of additional fans over the weekend, with some travelling specifically to see Friedrich Heyser's Art Nouveau painting of Ophelia.
- The painting, believed to be from around 1900, depicts Ophelia from Shakespeare's Hamlet, clad in white and surrounded by water lilies.
- Museum director Andreas Henning expressed delight at the unexpected attention, seeing it as a great opportunity to attract new visitors, and has attempted to contact Taylor Swift.
- Swift's video features her portraying Ophelia in a scene that closely mirrors Heyser's artwork, though the museum is not certain if it served as a direct template for the song.