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<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/john-william-waterhouse-583" aria-label="More by John William Waterhouse" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">John William Waterhouse</a>
Saint Eulalia
Presented by Sir Henry Tate 1894
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<p>The legendary Christian saint Eulalia was tortured and executed when she refused to respect Roman Gods and traditions. By dying for her faith, Eulalia was canonised as a Christian martyr. Waterhouse ignores the horrific details of her death and instead depicts the moment of her transcendent martyrdom. In this miraculous transfiguration white doves appear around her body and a fall of snow covers her nakedness. The dramatic theme and composition secured Waterhouse's election as an Associate of the Royal Academy.</p><p><em>Gallery label, March 2022</em></p>
painting oil paint canvas
29 August 2001 – 25 July 2005
2005-07-25
29 August 2001
2001-08-29
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2001-08-29
Art and Victorian Society
Collection based display
1 November 2001 – 31 August 2003
2003-08-31
6 September 2002 – 5 January 2003
2003-01-05
2002-09-06
Brooklyn Museum of Art (New York, USA)
2001-11-01
Exposed: The Victorian Nude
Exhibition
8 March 2011 – 12 June 2011
2011-06-12
8 March 2011 – 12 June 2011
2011-06-12
2011-03-08
Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza (Madrid, Spain)
8 March 2011 – 12 June 2011
2011-06-12
2011-03-08
Fundación Caja (Casa de las Alhajas) (Madrid, Spain)
2011-03-08
Heronies
Loan-out
17 October 2011 – 29 April 2012
2012-04-29
17 October 2011 – 8 January 2012
2012-01-08
2011-10-17
Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien (Vienna, Austria)
2011-10-17
Winter in European Art
Loan-out
15 September 2012 – 31 January 2013
2013-01-31
15 September 2012 – 31 January 2013
2013-01-31
2012-09-15
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (Birmingham, UK)
http://www.bmag.org.uk
2012-09-15
Love and Death: Victorian Paintings from Tate
Loan-out
5 November 2012 – 20 July 2014
2014-07-20
5 November 2012 – 20 July 2014
2014-07-20
2012-11-05
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2012-11-05
Gallery 9
Collection based display
7 August 2014 – 24 July 2022
2022-07-24
7 August 2014
2014-08-07
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2014-08-07
Gallery 9
Collection based display
14 December 2018 – 19 September 2021
2021-09-19
13 May 2021 – 19 September 2021
2021-09-19
2021-05-13
Hungarian National Gallery (Budapest, Hungary)
2018-12-14
Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood
Tate partnerships & programmes
26 September 2022
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2022-09-26
Gallery 9
Collection based display
Saint Eulalia
support: 1886 × 1175 mm
frame: 2310 × 1610 × 180 mm
Presented by <a href="/search?gid=999999962" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Sir Henry Tate</a> 1894
<p>Waterhouse exhibited this picture at the Royal Academy in 1885 with the following note: 'Prudentius says that the body of St. Eulalia was shrouded "by the miraculous fall of snow when lying in the forum after her martyrdom."' 

</p><p>St Eulalia was martyred in 304AD for refusing to make sacrifices to the Roman gods. The method of her death was particularly gruesome: two executioners tore her body with iron hooks, then lighted torches were applied to her breasts and sides until finally, as the fire caught her hair, she was suffocated. Given the horrific circumstances of her death, and Eulalia's tender age (she is said to have been twelve years old), Waterhouse demonstrates little concern for <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/r/realism" title="Glossary definition for 'Realism'"><span>realism</span></a>. The setting for the picture is supposed to be Merida in Spain, which was then under the rule of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, but has been transferred to the Forum in Rome. Eulalia's body appears totally unharmed, her exposed breasts and flowing hair giving her a seductive rather than pathetic appearance. Although there is snow falling and lying on the ground, her body is uncovered. As an explanation for these alterations to the legend, the artist includes a wooden cross on the right of the <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/c/composition" title="Glossary definition for 'Composition'"><span>composition</span></a>, implying that the martyrdom was by crucifixion. 

</p><p>The composition is extremely daring: Eulalia's dramatically <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/f/foreshortening" title="Glossary definition for 'Foreshortening'"><span>foreshortened</span></a> body leads the eye towards a void at the centre of the picture.  A group of mourners form a pyramid towards the top of the composition, but the viewer's eye is drawn back down towards the martyred figure by the right-hand soldier's spear, via a zig-zag of ropes, to the young woman's outflung arms. According to the account given by the Spanish Christian poet Prudentius (348-405), at the moment of her death, a white dove emerged from Eulalia's mouth and flew towards heaven. Waterhouse refers to this event by including sixteen doves in his <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>painting</span></a>. The youngest mourner points upwards at a single hovering dove towards the top of the picture, a symbol of Eulalia's departing soul. 

</p><p>The picture was well received by the critics and secured Waterhouse's election as an Associate of the Royal Academy. One reviewer approved in particular of the image's simplicity and idealism and its avoidance of the grotesque.  He wrote, 'the conception is full of power and originality.  Its whole force is centred in the pathetic dignity of the outstretched figure, so beautiful in its helplessness and pure serenity, so affecting in its forlorn and wintry shroud, so noble in the grace and strength of its presentment' (quoted in Hobson, pp.34-7).

</p><p><b>Further reading:<br/></b>Anthony Hobson, <i>J.W. Waterhouse</i>, Oxford 1988, pp.34-7, reproduced p.35, in colour.<br/>Christopher Wood, <i>Victorian Painting</i>, London 1999, pp.236-42.

</p><p>Frances Fowle<br/>December 2000</p>
Summary
2005-09-15T00:00:00
summary
SHORT_TEXT
<div class="text">
<p>The legendary Christian saint Eulalia was tortured and executed when she refused to respect Roman Gods and traditions. By dying for her faith, Eulalia was canonised as a Christian martyr. Waterhouse ignores the horrific details of her death and instead depicts the moment of her transcendent martyrdom. In this miraculous transfiguration white doves appear around her body and a fall of snow covers her nakedness. The dramatic theme and composition secured Waterhouse's election as an Associate of the Royal Academy.</p>
</div>

Display caption
2022-03-07T00:00:00
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DISPLAY_CAPTION
actions: postures and motions adults animals: birds architecture birth to death body chastity cities, towns, villages (non-UK) classical column corpse countries and continents courtyard crime and punishment cross death dove emotions and human qualities emotions, concepts and ideas execution features female group groups Italy lying down man martyr military mysticism nudes objects people periods and styles places religion and belief religious religious and ceremonial Rome, Forum Saints sex and relationships snow society soldier soul - dove St Eulalia symbols and personifications townscapes / man-made features transfiguration universal religious imagery virgin weather woman work and occupations