Almanac Art: Millais’ Leisure Hours
Leisure Hours, by John Everett Millais, oil on canvas, 1864. Detroit Institute of Arts. (Wikimedia Commons.)
Almanac Art: Millais’ Leisure Hours
So often there is something sombre and mysterious, but nevertheless wonderful, about art of the Victorian era. A fine example is John Everett Millais’ Leisure Hours (1864), a painting also worthy of reflecting upon because of its sheer beauty and high level of technical accomplishment.
The painting depicts Anne and Marion Pender, daughters of Sir John Pender (1816-96), wealthy Scottish businessman, politician and art collector, who originally owned the work. In its description of the painting, Wikimedia Commons puts forward an interesting piece of interpretation: ‘The two goldfish are trapped in the fishbowl, drawing parallels to the two girls who are trapped in ornate dresses and in their house.’
I find Leisure Hours to be a painting in which one can almost lose oneself.
Don’t the girls in it look intelligent and world-weary, too – and formidable individuals, in spite of their young age?
And do they look – in some sense – imprisoned?
Are their privileged lives, like the goldfish in the bowl, going around and around in aimless circles?
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About
Kevin Densley is a graduate of both Deakin University and The University of Melbourne. He has taught writing and literature in numerous Victorian universities and TAFES. He is a poet and writer-in-general. His fifth book-length poetry collection, Please Feed the Macaws ... I'm Feeling Too Indolent, was published in late 2023 by Ginninderra Press. He is also the co-author of ten play collections for young people, as well as a multi Green Room Award nominated play, Last Chance Gas, published by Currency Press. Other writing includes screenplays for educational films.
It is certainly an artwork that attracts the eye. The lavish reds of the velvet dresses and swirling patterns of the wallpaper are visually interesting and with the movement in the composition it really becomes quite a mesmerising piece.
One can only imagine how restrictive their dress would be. I think the girls would have been much happier running about outside, kicking a footy, or picking the lovely flowers they seem to be holding in their hands.
Thanks Kevin.
Thanks for your comments, Kate. Yes, I think ‘mesmerising’ is a very apt word for the painting, and the movement you point to in the composition is a particularly interesting aspect.
The painting is even more striking, I believe, when reproduced in a larger size, but that isn’t really possible in a Footy Almanac context, as the posts need to be ‘phone friendly’ too – which is understandable.