Blind Girl by John Everett Millais (Interpretation and Analysis)

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Blind Girl
Source: Wikimedia Commons
When English painter John Everett Millais moved to Scotland in 1855, he began a new chapter of his artistic career. Although Millais is best known as a member of the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood, he experimented with many different artistic styles and techniques during his long career.

Blind Girl was painted during this transitional period in Millais’ artistic life. The piece depicts two young beggar girls on the road outside of the town of Winchelsea. The older girl is blind; a sign that says “Pity the Blind” hangs around her neck, marking her condition. She holds an accordion on her lap, suggesting that she plays music to earn a few coins. Although she is blind, the girl is clearly enjoying the day. She rubs a piece of grass between her fingers, and her blissful expression shows that she’s enjoying the warm sun on her face.

In contrast, the younger girl—who is presumably the blind girl’s sister—gazes out at the vibrant, green landscape. This landscape, which is the most striking part of the painting, draws the viewer’s attention to the older girl’s disability. She cannot see the beauty around her; although she can experience it in other ways.

Millais’ use of color in this piece is truly astonishing. When I look at Blind Girl, the first thing that catches my eye is the vividly green background. The bright shades of the rainbow in the background and the rich oranges and blues in the girls’ clothing add more visual texture to the piece. While blindness is often associated with darkness, Millais choses to portray it in stunning color in this piece.

In terms of content, Blind Girl is usually understood as a social or religious commentary. In the nineteenth century, many disabled people and orphaned children were forced to live as beggars. Millais’ painting demonstrates sympathy and understanding for these unfortunate young girls. Many scholars have also pointed out that the rainbow, which can be seen in the background, could be a reference to God's covenant, which is symbolized by a rainbow in the Bible.

Looking back at the history of Western art, it is also possible to interpret the piece as a continuation of the Medieval and early modern tradition of creating allegorical paintings that represent the different human senses. Seen through this lens, Blind Girl becomes an allegory of sight.

However you choose to interpret the painting, it is indisputable that Blind Girl is a lovely piece of art. It’s use of color alone makes it a visual feast, and the content of the piece itself exudes a sense of peace and calm. The blind girl’s inner happiness and spiritual strength almost seem to glow, filling the painting with a profundity that goes beyond sunny days and green fields. At its core, Blind Girl is a spiritual painting; I hope it brought you some joy today.

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