The Kiss of Peace
Julia Margaret Cameron
Description
Subject Matter:
In this photograph, which Cameron considered to be her greatest work, two women are posed, one on the left kissing the forehead of a younger woman to the right, who looks down solemnly. They wear draped fabric, taking the subjects out of the Victorian era, but not referencing a specific time period. The woman on the left is Mary Hillier, Cameron's personal maid from 1861 to 1875. Like many of her works, this photograph is based on a work by Alfred Lord Tennyson: St. Agnes' Eve. Tennyson was Cameron's neighbor, and a recurring subject in her photographs. The title, The Kiss, refers to the early Christian tradition in which a kiss was both a greeting and part of liturgy.
Physical Description:
A portrait of two women; the woman on the left kisses the forehead of the younger woman to the right, who looks down. They both wear draped fabric.
Usage Rights:
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