Swifties descend on Wiesbaden museum to see Ophelia painting

Taylor Swift fans have been flocking to a museum in Wiesbaden to see a painting apparently referenced in the pop superstar’s latest music video, The Fate of Ophelia.

Taylor Swift fans visit German museum in droves

So-called Swifties have been flocking to the 200-year-old Museum Wiesbaden, Hesse, to see a painting of Shakespeare’s Ophelia, which the popstar appears to have referenced in her latest music video.

The Fate of Ophelia opens with Swift lying in a white dress beside a pool of water and surrounded by lilies. Swift fans believe the shot isn’t just a reference to Hamlet’s ill-fated would-be wife, but specifically Friedrich Heyser’s depiction of her.

Heyser’s painting from 1900 hangs in Museum Wiesbaden, and staff have noticed a surge in the number of visitors specifically asking where in the museum they can find Ophelia. Museum spokesperson Susanne Hirschmann reckons around 500 Swifties have visited.

Swift’s music video was only released on YouTube on October 6 and was viewed no fewer than 27 million times in its first three days online. 

“We have a colleague who has a friend who is a Swift fan, and she noticed the video’s opening scene had a similarity, and we thought, wow, what a coincidence – that’s exciting,” Hirschmann told the Guardian. “It’s a lot more teens than we usually see.”

Museum will hold special Swift-related tour on November 2

So far, Swifties have just been posing for a picture of themselves in front of Heyser’s work. Despite the volume of visitors, Hirschmann added that most have had a “respectful approach”. Now, the museum has decided to capitalise on the surprising fame brought by Swift on high.

On November 2, staff will host a special Ophelia reception, including a guided tour which focuses on the history of Heyser’s work, the doomed Shakespeare character and their relation to Swift’s latest viral lament. The event has already sold out.