My Second Sermon 1864

Sir John Everett Millais painted "My Second Sermon" using oil on canvas. It presents a young girl, overcome by boredom, asleep during a church sermon. The color red, prominently featured in her cloak and stockings, is a powerful symbol. It evokes vitality, passion, and, paradoxically, a sense of warning or danger. The child’s sleep is a form of escape, a retreat from the adult world and its moral teachings. Yet, the color red, vibrant against the muted tones of the church interior, suggests an underlying restlessness. We find echoes of this restless "red" in countless artworks across the ages, from Renaissance depictions of Mary Magdalene in crimson robes to modern expressions of defiance. Here, the child's repose becomes a silent rebellion, a subconscious rejection of the sermon's message. The artist engages us in a timeless exploration of innocence, boredom, and the subtle rebellion inherent in human nature.