Sleeping 

Sir John Everett Millais painted this image, "Sleeping", sometime in the mid-19th century. As we look we can consider the cultural position of women during the Victorian Era. The painting depicts two females, one is asleep and the other sews while standing near the child’s bed. We might ask ourselves, what are the relationships between the individuals presented? Do they challenge or reinforce the era's traditional female roles and representations? The composition has an emotional impact; the quiet tenderness and subdued lighting create an intimate atmosphere. The painting acknowledges a cultural moment, where industrialization was advancing, influencing shifts in gender and class structures. Millais’s piece can be considered within the history of pre-Raphaelite painting, but also in light of its commentary on the complex dynamics of Victorian society. Ultimately, “Sleeping” invites us to reflect on the connections between individual experience and social identity.