Included Text
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.
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.
Note: These lines from Keats's poem are inscribed on the bottom of the original frame.
Scholarly Commentary
Reception
In an April 1856 letter to William Allingham, DGR remarked that: “Hughes's Eve of St. Agnes will make his fortune, I feel sure” (Fredeman, Correspondence, 56.29).
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.
Literary
This work represents three scenes from Keats's 1820 poem The Eve of St. Agnes .
Bibliography