Jephthah, by Jessie Macgregor (1847-1919). (1889). Oil on canvas. H 87.6 x W 158 cm. Credit: Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. Accession no. WAG 2902. Given to the gallery as a gift from the subscribers in 1889. This image comes up at Art UK on an Open or Creative Commons search (licence:1cc/page/1). Image download and commentary by Jacqueline Banerjee
The original sketch of the leading female figure here, shown in a Pall Mall Gazette "extra" (p. 49), comes with a Bible reference: Judges 11, 34. This is the chapter in which the mighty warrior Jephthah, having promised that if he is granted victory in battle, he will sacrifice "whatsoever cometh forth out of the doors of my house to meet me"(v. 31), is unfortunately met first by his daughter, his only child. There, under the shade of the cedars, he throws down his shield and spear, hiding his face on a boulder in an agony of despair. There is no way of comforting him: the promise must (and would) be honoured. For her part, the beautiful young woman and her followers are checked. Their festive greeting of the triumphant hero is turning to incomprehension at his reaction. The daughter's arms are spread out as if to stop the rest of the group, those at the very back still in the very act of lauding her father "with timbrels and with dances" (from the same Old Testament verse).
The incident from a Bible story is fully realised in a genre painting of note. It would have been better appreciated in those days, when the Scriptures were more commonly read.
Bibliography
"Pictures at the Royal Academy." 3-59 in a Pall Mall Gazette Extra (1889): 3-59. Google Books. Web. 19 March 2022.
Jephthah. Art UK. Web. 18 March 2022.
Created 18 March 2022