The Blind Girl
Encyclopedia
The Blind Girl is a painting
by John Everett Millais
which depicts two itinerant beggars, presumed to be sisters, one of whom is a blind musician, her concertina
on her lap. They are resting by the roadside after a rainstorm, before travelling to the town of Winchelsea
, visible in the background.
The painting has been interpreted as an allegory
of the senses, contrasting the experiences of the blind and sighted sisters. The former feels the warmth of the sun on her face, and fondles a leaf of grass, while the latter shields her eyes from the sun or rain and looks at the unusual spectacle of a double rainbow
that has just appeared. Some critics have interpreted the rainbow in Biblical terms, as the sign of God's covenant
described in Genesis 9:16.
When the painting was first exhibited in 1856 it was pointed out to Millais that in double rainbows the inner rainbow inverts the order of the colours. Millais had originally painted the colours in the same order in both rainbows. He altered it for scientific accuracy.
A tortoiseshell butterfly
has rested on the blind girl's shawl, implying that she is holding herself extremely still. The sheet around her neck is captioned "Pity the Blind".
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
by John Everett Millais
John Everett Millais
Sir John Everett Millais, 1st Baronet, PRA was an English painter and illustrator and one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.-Early life:...
which depicts two itinerant beggars, presumed to be sisters, one of whom is a blind musician, her concertina
Concertina
A concertina is a free-reed musical instrument, like the various accordions and the harmonica. It has a bellows and buttons typically on both ends of it. When pressed, the buttons travel in the same direction as the bellows, unlike accordion buttons which travel perpendicularly to it...
on her lap. They are resting by the roadside after a rainstorm, before travelling to the town of Winchelsea
Winchelsea
Winchelsea is a small village in East Sussex, England, located between the High Weald and the Romney Marsh, approximately two miles south west of Rye and seven miles north east of Hastings...
, visible in the background.
The painting has been interpreted as an allegory
Allegory
Allegory is a demonstrative form of representation explaining meaning other than the words that are spoken. Allegory communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation...
of the senses, contrasting the experiences of the blind and sighted sisters. The former feels the warmth of the sun on her face, and fondles a leaf of grass, while the latter shields her eyes from the sun or rain and looks at the unusual spectacle of a double rainbow
Double Rainbow
A double rainbow is a phenomenon in which two rainbows appear. Double Rainbow may also refer to:* Double Rainbow , an album by Aya Matsuura* Double Rainbow: The Music of Antonio Carlos Jobim, an album by Joe Henderson...
that has just appeared. Some critics have interpreted the rainbow in Biblical terms, as the sign of God's covenant
Covenant (biblical)
A biblical covenant is an agreement found in the Bible between God and His people in which God makes specific promises and demands. It is the customary word used to translate the Hebrew word berith. It it is used in the Tanakh 286 times . All Abrahamic religions consider the Biblical covenant...
described in Genesis 9:16.
When the painting was first exhibited in 1856 it was pointed out to Millais that in double rainbows the inner rainbow inverts the order of the colours. Millais had originally painted the colours in the same order in both rainbows. He altered it for scientific accuracy.
A tortoiseshell butterfly
Small Tortoiseshell
The Small Tortoiseshell is a well-known colourful butterfly.-Range:It is found in temperate Europe, Asia Minor, Central Asia, Siberia, China, Mongolia, Korea and Japan. There are a few records from New York City which, however, are believed to have arrived human-assisted.-Subspecies:*A. u. urticae...
has rested on the blind girl's shawl, implying that she is holding herself extremely still. The sheet around her neck is captioned "Pity the Blind".
External links
- http://www.bmagic.org.uk/objects/1892P3 Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery, the Blind Girl online
- Sympathy and Vividness in Millais' "The Blind Girl"