The Eve of St. Agnes Arthur Hughes 1 The Eve of St. Agnes Arthur Hughes 1856 R.A., 1856; Liverpool, 1856 (no.30) Thomas E. Plint Tate Britain N04604 Probably commissioned by Thomas E. Plint; bequeathed by Mrs. Emily Toms in memory of her father, Joseph Kershaw, to the Tate Gallery in 1931 oil on canvas 710 x 1245 mm <artist/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnpictorial> <citnmythic> <name/> <culture/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnmythic> <citnhistorical> <event/> <place/> <date/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnhistorical> <citnautobiographical> <name/> <place/> <date/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnautobiographical> <citnscenic> <place/> <date/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnscenic> </listcitn> </source> <commentaries> <head>Commentary</head> <section type="intro"> <head>Introduction</head> <p/> </section> <section type="prodhist"> <head>Production History</head> <p/> </section> <section type="recepthist"> <head>Reception</head> <p>In an April 1856 letter to William Allingham, DGR remarked that: “Hughes's <hi rend="i">Eve of St. Agnes</hi> will make his fortune, I feel sure”<bibl> <author> (Fredeman</author>, <xref doc="a.pr5246.a4.2002.rad" link="dead"> <title level="bk"> <hi rend="i">Correspondence</hi> , 56.29 ).

Iconograpic

Pictorial

Hughes's picture (the right panel in particular) was inspired by Hunt's 1848 treatment of the subject. The Pre-Raphaelites were fond of the triptych as compositional structure. DGR employed the triptych form in The Seed of David , among other works.

Historical

Literary

This work represents three scenes from Keats's 1820 poem <hi rend="i">The Eve of St. Agnes</hi> .

Autobiographical

Bibliographic

Fredeman, <hi rend="i">Correspondence</hi> , 56.29.

They told her how, upon St Agnes' Eve, Young virgins might have visions of delight, And soft adorings from their loves receive Upon the honey'd middle of the night. If ceremonies due they did aright, And supperless to bed they must retire, And couch supine their beauties lily white, Nor look behind, nor sideways, but require Of heaven with upward eyes for all that they desire. These lines from Keats's poem are inscribed on the bottom of the original frame.