TSR were pleased to be involved in the technical examination accompanying the restoration of Holman Hunt’s beautiful early work The Eve of St. Agnes at The Guildhall Art Gallery. The picture was painted for the Royal Academy Exhibition of 1848, when the artist was just 21 and sharing a studio with Millais. It is documented that the artists, working hard for the RA deadline, decided to swap paintings, with Millais painting some parts of the banqueting scene in the background. The Guildhall exhibition explores Holman Hunt’s working method, looking a preparatory sketches and an oil study also in the Guildhall Collection to give a new insight into the creation of this Pre-Raphaelite masterpiece.

Infrared reflectography revealed a complex and extensive underdrawing in graphite. Guildhall Art Gallery Conservator Vicky Leanse studied the reflectogram closely to reveal the development of the final design, as well as how the artist worked hard to establish perspective and utilized compositional and figure sketches. In addition, IR reflectography indicated the areas worked on by Millais.

Infrared reflectogram detail of Holman Hunt, The Eve of St. Agnes; ©Guildhall Art Gallery, City of London, View of the exhibition, © TSR

The infrared mosaic shows Hunt made changes to the position of the stone arches, the legs of the seated page and replaced an earthenware drinking vessel with a wicker flagon, as well as altering the clothing and position of the foreground figures. Madeline and Prophyro were drawn naked, following Hunt’s figure studies, and IR reveals Madeline’s legs and toes beneath her clothes. Ruled lines and compass arcs were also identified as the artist tried to work out the architectural perspective. Finally, a distinctly different style of drawing was seen in the slumped Baron and raised hand of the toasting figure as well as an abandoned head reinforcing the idea that Millais has a hand in the painting of The Eve of St. Agnes.

To see the complete reflectogram of The Eve of St. Agnes, visit our gallery