April Love
Arthur Hughes, best known for his haunting depiction of Shakespeare’s Ophelia, creates another beautiful painting here in his work entitled, “April Love.” It is an oil on canvas work and done in accordance with the Pre-Raphaelite movement, of which I am so fond. It is hard to notice but the young woman is weeping – tears are visible on her pale cheek. Behind her, holding her hand between his face and his palms, is her love. Something terrible has just occurred and they are both clearly in despair – the kind of despair which comes most profoundly in association with young love. Note the The Wikipedia states:
“At its first showing Hughes accompanied the painting with an extract from Tennyson’s poem “The Miller’s Daughter”:
- Love is hurt with jar and fret,
- Love is made a vague regret,
- Eyes with idle tears are set,
- Idle habit links us yet;
- What is Love? For we forget.
Ah no, no.“