The Blind Girl (1856) is a painting by
John Everett Millais which depicts two itinerant
beggars, presumed to be sisters, one of whom is a blind
musician, her
concertina on her lap. They are resting by the roadside after a rainstorm, before travelling to the town of
Winchelsea, visible in the background. The painting has been interpreted as an
allegory of the senses, contrasting the experiences of the blind and sighted sisters. The former feels the warmth of the sun on her face, and fondles a blade of grass, while the latter shields her eyes from the sun or rain and looks at a
double rainbow that has just appeared. The painting is in the collection of the
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
Painting credit: John Everett Millais
