What does the expression “She was dead!” mean?
The expression "she was dead" means that the women lost her life due to her husband's love towards art. He only gave time to his art but not his wife. The painter lost his wife while he was concerned only about his art. He didn't value his living wife but when she was dead ,only her rare beauty was painted in the portrait. The women lost her life due to her beauty in this story. Her death symbolises the painter's passion towards his work. She was innocent butlost her life as she loved him.