Study on Percy Bysshe Shelley as an Artist: Perspective of Ekphrasis

Dr. Dilip Sarkar, Rageswari Dhar

Abstract: Ekphrasis, traditionally defined as an interdisciplinary mode of expression and the literary articulation of verbal representation of visual art form, evolved significantly during the romantic period, allowing writers to absorb visual aesthetics into literary form and use imagery, moving beyond mere description to become a vehicle for philosophical, historical and political reflection. This paper examines the use of ekphrasis in the works of Percy Byshhe Shelley, situating his poetry within the visual culture of romanticism. While romantic ekphrasis has often been discussed in relation to John Keats, Shelley's engagement with visual art has received comparatively limited critical attention. After a close analysis of Ozymandias, On the Medusa of Leonardo da Vinci and the Triumph of Life, this research paper demonstrates how shelly?s works explores direct, indirect and imaginative forms of ekphrasis, which further discusses about themes of power, historical decay, terror and imaginative freedom. The study further makes a comparative study of Shelley's poetic vision with the works of romantic painters such as Wlliam Blake, Henry Fuseli and J. M. W. Turner, highlighting shared aesthetics concerns with the sublime and symbolic representations. This interdisciplinary approach positions Shelley as a significant figure in romantic ekphrasis discourse and underscores the importance of visual-verbal interaction in romantic literature.

Keywords: ekphrasis, romantic poetry, visual art, Percy Shelley, sublime imagery

How to Cite?: Dr. Dilip Sarkar, Rageswari Dhar, "Study on Percy Bysshe Shelley as an Artist: Perspective of Ekphrasis", Volume 15 Issue 1, January 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1703-1708, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26129193143, DOI: https://dx.dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26129193143

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