The Importunate Friend (The Parables of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ) 1864

Sir John Everett Millais created this engraving, "The Importunate Friend", as part of a series illustrating the parables of Jesus Christ. This image speaks to Victorian society’s complex relationship with charity and poverty. Millais, associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, often imbued his works with moral or narrative weight. Here, he illustrates the New Testament parable about persistence and neighborly love. The engraving depicts a man, roused from sleep, reluctantly handing bread to his persistent friend. The setting, stark and somewhat bleak, adds to the emotional weight of the scene. The contrast between the warmth of the interior and the cold night outside highlights the tension between personal comfort and communal responsibility. Millais invites us to consider our obligations to others, particularly when those obligations disrupt our own lives. Through its intimate scale and detailed rendering, the print encourages reflection on the personal and societal implications of empathy and generosity.