''Convent Thoughts'' is a painting by the

Pre-Raphaelite The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB), later known as the Pre-Raphaelites, was a group of English painters, poets, and art critics, founded in 1848 by William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Michael Rossetti, ...

painter

Charles Allston Collins ''Convent Thoughts'' (1850–51; Ashmolean Museum, Oxford Charles Allston Collins (London 25 January 1828 – 9 April 1873) was a British painter, writer, and illustrator associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Life and work ...

which was created between 1850 and 1851. Collins sent it to the

Royal Academy of Arts The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House in Piccadilly London, England. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its ...

in 1851 where it was exhibited. The painting shows a nun contemplating a

passion flower ''Passiflora'', known also as the passion flowers or passion vines, is a genus of about 550 species of flowering plants, the type genus of the family Passifloraceae. ''Passiflora'' species are widely cultivated for their striking flowers, fla ...

symbolising the crucifixion of Christ. She is standing in a walled garden full of minutely detailed flowers. In her left hand she holds an

illuminated Illuminated may refer to: * Illuminated (song), "Illuminated" (song), by Hurts * Illuminated Film Company, a British animation house * ''Illuminated'', alternative title of Black Sheep (Nat & Alex Wolff album) * Illuminated manuscript See also

Breviary A breviary () is a liturgical book used in Christianity for praying the canonical hours, usually recited at seven fixed prayer times. Historically, different breviaries were used in the various parts of Christendom, such as Aberdeen Breviar ...

Book of Hours A book is a structured presentation of recorded information, primarily verbal and graphical, through a medium. Originally physical, electronic books and audiobooks are now existent. Physical books are objects that contain printed material, ...

, held not as though she had been reading it but so as to show us the Annunciation and the Crucifixion. Her costume shows that she is a novice, presumably meditating on her final vows. The flowers were painted in the Oxford garden of

Thomas Combe Thomas Combe (1796 – 30 June 1872) was a British printer, publisher and patron of the arts. He was 'Printer to the University' at Oxford University Press, and was also a founder and benefactor of St Barnabas Church, near the Press in Jeri ...

, an early collector of Pre-Raphaelite paintings, and the model is often said to have been his housemaid, Frances Sarah Ludlow, later Mrs Brucker. Probably she modelled for preliminary sketches for the painting, but recent research has shown that the face is almost certainly that of Sarah Eliza Hackett. Combe bought the painting and it was bequeathed by his widow, Martha Combe, to the

Ashmolean Museum The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology () on Beaumont Street in Oxford, England, is Britain's first public museum. Its first building was erected in 1678–1683 to house the cabinet of curiosities that Elias Ashmole gave to the University ...

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

and ''Convent Thoughts'' remains in the Museum's collection. Although Collins was never formally a member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, he was in sympathy with their aims and painted in their immensely detailed style. ''Convent Thoughts'' has a place in the history of Pre-Raphaelitism, because the tide of opinion, initially hostile, was to some extent turned by a letter to ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...

'' on 13 May 1851 from the influential critic

John Ruskin John Ruskin (8 February 1819 20 January 1900) was an English polymath a writer, lecturer, art historian, art critic, draughtsman and philanthropist of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as art, architecture, Critique of politic ...

praising the Pre-Raphaelite paintings at the Academy exhibition, in particular ''Convent Thoughts'', about which he wrote:

"I happen to have a special acquaintance with the water plant ''Alisma Plantago'' ... and as I never saw it so thoroughly or so well drawn, I must take leave to remonstrate with you, when you say sweepingly that these men 'sacrifice ''truth'' as well as feeling to eccentricity.' For as a mere botanical study of the Water Lily and ''Alisma'', as well as of the common lily and several other garden flowers, this picture would be invaluable to me, and I heartily wish it were mine."

In a curious footnote to this story, it has recently been pointed outDeas, Elizabeth. "The Missing Alisma: Ruskin's Botanical Error". ''Journal of Pre-Raphaelite Studies'' (Fall 2001): 4–13 that there is in fact no '' Alisma Plantago'' in the picture.

References and sources

;References ;Sources * Prettejohn, Elizabeth (2000). ''The Art of the Pre-Raphaelites''. London: Tate Publishing. . * Barringer, Tim (1998). ''The Pre-Raphaelites''. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. {{ISBN, 0-297-82408-2 1851 paintings Pre-Raphaelite paintings Paintings in the Ashmolean Museum Books in art Water in art