How to Read Paintings: A Huguenot, on St. Bartholomew’s Day by John Everett Millais
Deciphering the riddle of this poignant love painting
In this painting, we are on our way to bloodshed. Two lovers embrace moments before a violent massacre. Curiously, she is tying a white scarf around the man’s arm. At the same time he is pulling the scarf away.
There is tenderness in the way they look at each other. Their eyes meet sorrowfully. Yet there is also something firmer, a determination, a battle of wills. Just look at the expression on the woman’s face. There is sadness in her upturned face, but also an obstinacy in her widened eyes and stern lips. And what about the man? His gentleness is also cut through with a different sort of steadfastness, a look of confidence and calm resolve.
So what’s going on here?
The artist behind this work, John Everett Millais, was a master of dramatic pathos. This painting, titled A Huguenot, on St. Bartholomew’s Day, depicts a Catholic woman attempting to convince her Protestant lover to safeguard himself from danger. The wearing of the white armband would declare his allegiance to…
