Christ in the House of his Parents by Millais

Description: The setting of this painting is Joseph’s workshop and is meant to depict a likely scene from Christ’s youth. In the forefront sits the Virgin Mary consoling Jesus who has cut his hand. To the left a young John the Baptist carries a bowl of water to cleanse the wound. In the background Joseph, St. Anne, and an apprentice look upon Jesus. The painting is meant to foreshadow events of Christ’s adult life. He has a cut in the center of his palm to signify the eventual crucifixion, John carries the water to represent the baptism of Jesus. In addition, several symbols are hidden throughout the painting. The sheep seen through the doorway are meant to represent Jesus’, the Shepard, followers. Also the unfinished basket represents Jesus’ unfinished work.

Behind the Scenes: Millais actually lived in a carpenter’s shop and used friends and relatives to model for this painting. This approach was common for the Pre-Raphaelites as it provided realistic detail.

Reaction: Christ in the House of His Parents was first exhibited as the Pre-Raphaelite movement began gaining extremely negative attention. In particular, the public found this painting offensive due to the portrayal of a child Christ and the holy family in a carpentry workshop, instead of the traditional idealized view. For these reasons, this is one of the most notorious Pre-Raphaelite paintings.