De Morgan Collection, The De Morgan Foundation (Barnsley, United Kingdom)
Location History:
This artwork was originally displayed in Evelyn De Morgan's 1916 studio exhibition in London, which was specifically organized to raise funds for the Red Cross and support the World War I relief effort.
If you look at the title of Evelyn De Morgan’s S.O.S. (painted between 1914 and 1916), it’s exactly what it sounds like—the classic Morse code distress signal for "Save Our Souls." She painted this right in the middle of the First World War as a massive, emotional response to how horrific and pointless the whole conflict was. Since she was a hardcore pacifist, she used this piece as a desperate plea for help, both physically and spiritually.
The whole painting centers on this one isolated woman stranded on a rock. She’s wearing pure white robes, which represents the innocence of all the everyday people getting caught up and victimized by the violence. She’s got her arms thrown open and is looking up at the sky like she’s begging for a way out. Down below her, the water is super violent and packed with these terrifying sea serpents, dragons, and monsters. Instead of painting literal soldiers and bloody trenches, De Morgan used these mythical beasts as metaphors for the pure evil and destruction of the war itself.
But it’s not completely hopeless. If you check out the background, there’s this really vibrant rainbow arching over the whole scene. De Morgan used rainbows a lot in her work to symbolize spiritual salvation and optimism. So, even though the woman is completely surrounded by these terrifying threats, the rainbow turns the painting into a universal beacon of hope.
Basically, De Morgan completely avoided just painting the gory realities of a battlefield. Instead, she used this deep, mythical imagery to make a powerful moral commentary on the human cost of war, all while holding onto the hope that peace would eventually win out.
S.O.S. speaks to me as a powerful symbol of hope, courage, and faith in the middle of overwhelming fear. The woman standing on the rock, surrounded by fierce sea creatures and stormy waters, does not appear defeated. Instead, she raises her arms toward the glowing sky as if asking for strength or trusting that help will come. The bright light above contrasts with the darkness below, suggesting that hope can exist even in the most dangerous situations. I feel the artwork reminds us that life often places us among challenges, but inner strength, resilience, and belief can guide us through even the darkest moments.
