My Last Duchess

The painting of the duchess is a complex symbol that Browning uses in multiple ways to reveal the inner workings of the duke’s character and underscore the social hierarchy prevalent in his era. Through the duchess’s portrait, Browning employs art as a vehicle for characterization, class delineation, and commentary on societal values. The duke’s attitude toward the painting highlights the theme of class and snobbery. By mentioning the artist’s name three times in the poem, the duke demonstrates his wealth and status as a patron of the arts and how he can afford renowned painters. This act of patronage serves as a display of snobbery, as it highlights the duke’s ability to commission renowned artists and decorate his home with prestigious artworks—a privilege not accessible to the lower classes.

The duchess’ painting also serves to display how the duke is controlling and manipulative. The more the duke describes the former duchess to the visitor, the more it becomes evident how the painting serves to objectify women. It is also clear how the duke values the painting more than the actual person it depicts. His decision to conceal the portrait behind a curtain is an attempt to control who can view the painting, which leads him to exercise his power over the memory of the duchess, reducing her to a mere object to be hidden away at his whim. The painting is thus a valuable object of art, which is both a personal material possession to be flaunted as well as an indicator of the duke’s wealth and social status.