Mariana (1851), by John Everett Millais. (Reproduction)
Sir John Everett Millais’ “Mariana” is an oil painting on mahogany of Mariana, a character from Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure who served as inspiration for Tennyson’s poem “Mariana”. In this painting, Mariana stands solemnly with an arched back before a set of stained glass windows that depict “Annunciation, contrasting the Virgin’s fulfilment with Mariana’s frustration and longing” (tate.org.uk, “Mariana”) for her lost love, Angelo. Mariana is depicted in a dance-like form evident in her pointed foot and elongated neck. This graceful, almost performative position serves to emphasize the artistry and grace in everyday action. Millais (1829-1896) aimed to capture the themes of despair and yearning that are integral to Mariana’s character. The symbolic snowdrop in the window and the triptych in the foreground of the painting represents the themes of yearning prominent in Mariana’s character and relates “indirectly to John Keats’ narrative poem The Eve of St. Agnes” (tate.org.uk, “Mariana”) that also explores the themes of yearning and despair. The performance of such heartbreaking emotions is subtly accentuated through Mariana’s elegant, dance-like pose.