St Agnes' Eve, the night before the saint's feast day on 21 January, was traditionally a time when young women might dream successfully of the perfect lover provided they slept naked as did the original martyr saint. Siddal is inspired by Tennyson's version of the legend which describes a nun yearning to meet her heavenly 'bridegroom'.
More information
Title of artwork, date
The Eve of St Agnes, c. 1850
Date supported
1997
Medium and material
Gouache
Dimensions
16.5 x 12 cm
Grant
5000
Total cost
5000
Content note: This object record is part of our archive and has not been updated since it was first published. It may contain inaccurate information or outdated language. Please get in touch if you think this record should be amended.
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