“The Valkyrie’s Vigil”
“The Valkyrie’s Vigil” is a wonderful and shimmery watercolor and gold on paper painting by the English Pre-Raphaelite and Aesthetic artist, Edward Robert Hughes, from circa 1906. Hughes first exhibited this painting at the Royal Water-Colour Society of Art in 1906. The bright colors, realism, romanticism, and symbolism are all indicative of Hughes style.
The woman depicted is a Valkyrie, one of Odin’s war-maiden goddesses in Old Norse mythology. Her role is to escort the most valiant warriors who die in battle to Valhalla, Odin’s personal afterlife hall where the bravest warriors spend eternity. Maidens and their association with death were a popular theme in Pre-Raphaelite art and include such notable characters as Ophelia and the Lady of Shalott.
The Valkyrie is depicted sitting atop of castle crenelation. She is holding her helmet and sword as she awaits the newest warriors to be brought to Valhalla. A white, bright, but soft light showers over her from above. Hughes is depicting a moment of calm and peacefulness in contrast to the deadly battle she is presumably watching over.
There was a reemergence of popularity in this story after Richard Wagner’s famous opera from 1870, Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) that features the famous song, “Ride of the Valkyries”. This romantic reinterpretation of old myths was a common occurrence during this period. Hughes painted another piece that depicted a Valkyrie, “Dream Idyll (A Valkyrie)” from 1902.
“The Valkyrie’s Vigil” is currently in a private collection.
For more on Edward Robert Hughes, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
