Portrait Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe Story Goes on Display

Henri Martin’s painting Berenice, inspired by the short story of the same name by Edgar Allan Poe, has gone on show to the public at Duff House, near Banff.

The French artist’s work was inspired by Berenice and was probably modelled by his wife, the artist Marie-Charlotte Barbaroux. First published in 1835, the tale tells the story of Egaeus who falls in love with his beautiful cousin Berenice. She suffers from a mysterious debilitating illness, causing her to fall into a trance-like state. As Berenice’s health deteriorates, Egaeus develops intense obsessions, focusing latterly on her teeth. The girl eventually dies and Egaeus is grief-stricken. He visits her grave, as if in a dream, and later discovers her extracted teeth in a box beside him.

Berenice is open to view at Duff House in Scotland on selected dates through August 24, 2025. The artwork is the latest in a series of paintings to be loaned from the collection of the National Galleries of Scotland.