The Triumph of the Innocents

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The Triumph of the Innocents

• Anh Nguyen

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The Triumph of the Innocents
Walker Art Gallery Version, Liverpool
By William Holman Hunt
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The Story

• Under a starry sky, across the fore-round of an
  Eastern landscape, passes from left to right a
  procession composed of the Holy Family on their
  flight into Egypt, accompanied by the spirits of
  the newly massacred Innocents in bodily form.
• Hunt depicts the spirits of the slaughtered
  innocent children entering the afterlife,
  rewarded for their roles as the first martyrs of
  Christianity, alongside an image of Joseph, Mary,
  and Jesus fleeing to Egypt.

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The Triumph of the Innocents
Tate Gallery Version, London
By William Holman Hunt
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Hunt explains that the sphere contains a lamb
(symbolic of Christ). In it is the Tree of Life,
symbolizing the healing of all nations.
At the far right, a group of infants lead the
whole procession. One child has dropped a vine,
another is about to throw a palm leaf
(traditional symbol of martyrdom) before Christ.
Group of boys bedecked with garlands of flowers
and holding spring blossoms. Hunt intended to
stress decoration ready for sacrifice.
In the foreground, a solitary boy examines his
rent shirt. The death blow on his side has
healed.
The jelly-like surface on which the children
stand is Hunt's rendering of water continually
flowing - 'the stream of eternal life'.
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• Hunt differentiates the natural and supernatural
  forces using two sources of light - the family
  of Jesus and the spirits of the young martyrs.
• Mary, and Jesus are in a soft light that most
  likely derives from the natural light of the
  stars whereas a bright light shines upon each of
  the martyred innocents, giving an impression of
  holiness.
• Hunt uses brighter colors to depict the luxurious
  clothing of the child spirits while using muted
  colors to fuse the family with their dark natural
  surroundings.

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Hunt shows that the natural and supernatural
forces are meant to be aware of the other's
presence by means of the gestures of Jesus and
the gaze of Mary. The baby Jesus reaches
backwards in the direction of the children with
the desire to touch them while Mary observes the
actions of the young spirit walking alone. On
the other hand, the innocents appear to be
protecting the fleeing family, leading Jesus to a
safe destination. Therefore, Hunt ultimately
attempts to unite the natural and supernatural.
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Bibliography

• http//www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/online/pre-raph
  aelites/triumph_symbolism.asp
• http//www.victorianweb.org/painting/whh/akim2.htm
  l
• http//www.oldandsold.com/painters/h6.shtml