The Oval Portrait is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1842. It tells the story of a young man who discovers a mysterious painting in an old chateau. The painting is of a beautiful woman, and the young man is captivated by her beauty. He soon discovers that the painting is of a woman who was once the chateau's mistress, and that her husband had commissioned the painting shortly before her death. The young man is so taken with the painting that he decides to stay in the chateau and study it. As he does so, he discovers that the painting is not only a portrait of the woman, but also a record of her life. He reads the story of her life, and discovers that she was a passionate and devoted wife, but that her husband was a cruel and jealous man. He eventually drove her to her death, and the painting is a testament to her suffering. The young man is moved by the story, and decides to take the painting with him when he leaves the chateau. He hopes that by displaying the painting, he can honor the woman's memory and show the world the tragedy of her life.
By Edgar Allan Poe · First published 1842 · Genre: Gothic Fiction, Romanticism, Horror