S.O.S.

Evelyn De Morgan created a number of works in response to the devastation of World War I, reflecting on the struggle between good and evil. This painting takes its title from the then newly recognized Morse code distress signal, S.O.S. (often interpreted as “save our souls”), a phrase that captures the deeper moral and spiritual urgency at the heart of the scene.

At the center stands a lone female figure in white, representing the innocence of war’s victims. Perched on a rocky outcrop, she stretches her arms toward the sky, seeking both physical rescue and spiritual deliverance as violent waves crash around her and sea serpents circle below. In De Morgan’s symbolic imagery, such creatures often stand for evil and death. Yet the painting does not end in despair: a rainbow appears in the distance, offering a quiet promise of hope and redemption.

De Morgan herself held firmly to her spiritual beliefs. After her death, the inscription on the shared tombstone of her and her husband reads: “Sorrow is only of the Earth; the life of the spirit is joy.”

P.S. Delve into the magical art of Evelyn de Morgan, one of the Pre-Raphaelite Sisters! 

P.P.S. Evelyn de Morgan's works are also featured in our Women Artists Postcards Sets, bringing together women artists from across different periods in art history.