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Roseanne T. Sullivan's avatar

Terrific analysis! Great essay.

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Amelia McKee's avatar

Thank you Roseanne!

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Brittany Cuenin's avatar

Ah, Dickens! I knew he was anti-Catholic, but this post really points out his animosity. As always, this post about Millais is fascinating and well-researched. I was really interested in this painting because I didn't realized it preceded Ophelia. This certainly is a painting I'd love to see in person.

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Amelia McKee's avatar

Thank you! It is a little disappointing that Dickens was taken in by these tropes which were so common during the Victorian period. Fortunately, this animus doesn’t come out in his excellent novels.

Yes, Ophelia is when his style radically changed. It’s actually in the same room as this painting at the Tate Britain. I also love his painting, the Blind Girl. I wanted to add it to this post, but there was some glitch and I couldn’t get it to attach.

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Bobbi Bilnoski's avatar

That was a fascinating history. It reminds me of watching the movie Cabrini. Such a well done and moving story about the early Catholic Church. It illustrates the poverty and depravity of the early immigrants as viewed by the Catholic Church. I love the way she rebuild against male leaders and out smarted them to accomplish God‘s will as he spoke to her what her mission was.

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Bobbi Bilnoski's avatar

I have never ever watched a movie twice. I went to see that movie two times in two weeks! I took Friends back with me. You will love it. Very well done. I had no idea who she was.

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Amelia McKee's avatar

Thank you! I haven’t seen the movie, but I greatly admire Saint Francis Cabrini.

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Jenn Parkhurst's avatar

Amelia, I so enjoyed reading this! I’m new to your Substack and am eager to read more. I once upon a time created a major in medieval studies and fell into art history at the very end of my time at university. This resurrected some of my old interests and enthusiasm. Thank you!

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Amelia McKee's avatar

Thank you Jen! Something similar happened with me! I majored in Classics but took as many art history classes as I could and have kept studying since.

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Prodigal's avatar

What great work! Thank you 🙏

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Amelia McKee's avatar

Thank you!

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Amie's avatar

I have heard that the Victorian critics didn’t like this painting but never heard that it was related to anti-Catholicism. Millais has such beautiful shimmering works of art.

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Amelia McKee's avatar

Yes, he was a brilliant colorist. I love the way the Pre-Raphaelites brought back the tempera paint and bright colors. The Blind Girl is another favorite of mine.

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Jason Rosenfeld's avatar

You need to seek out my books on Millais. There are a number of religious works after the 1850s, especially later in his career.

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Amelia McKee's avatar

Thank you for the correction. As you can see, I’m not a Millais expert, though I do love many of his paintings. I updated the article and will seek out your book.

I had specified large-scale paintings with a footnote mentioning the Parable etchings. I know of his Joan of Arc and now see Victory O Lord. Are there others?

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Mari Lucey's avatar

Thank you!

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