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Introduction
Evelyn De Morgan’s The Poor Man Who Saved the City (1901) stands as a masterful fusion of narrative realism, spiritual allegory, and Pre‑Raphaelite craftsmanship. In this life‑sized oil painting, De Morgan recounts an enigmatic medieval legend: a humble peasant’s act of faith rescues his besieged city. Seated in the foreground on a windswept rampart, the eponymous poor man clasps his weathered hands in prayer, deep in contemplative sorrow. Behind him, a grand procession of townspeople, soldiers, and clergy winds its way beneath the city’s defensive walls and flag‑topped towers, their banners fluttering like silent testimonies to civic pride. An open book lies at the man’s feet—its inscribed verses celebrate the triumph of divine intervention over martial might. Through meticulous detail, luminous color, and layered symbolism, De Morgan transforms this little‑known fable into a universal meditation on humility, faith, and the moral power of the marginalized.
Historical and Cultural Context
Painted at the dawn of the twentieth century, The Poor Man Who Saved the City emerges from an era of rapid industrialization, social reform movements, and renewed interest in medievalism. Evelyn De Morgan (1855–1919) navigated a complex cultural landscape that included the Gothic Revival, the Pre‑Raphaelite Brotherhood’s lingering influence, and the burgeoning Arts and Crafts movement. At the same time, she was actively engaged in Christian Socialist circles, advocating for workers’ rights and temperance. The legend of a poor man undone by poverty yet exalted by divine favor resonated deeply with De Morgan’s belief in spiritual egalitarianism. By revisiting medieval narratives, she not only celebrated a pre‑industrial moral economy but also challenged her contemporaries to recognize the latent dignity of every human soul, regardless of social station.
Literary and Legendary Origins
The precise provenance of the fable depicted in The Poor Man Who Saved the City remains obscure, yet echoes of the story appear in various medieval chronicles and hagiographies. According to the most common version, a starving vagabond intrudes upon a besieged town under cover of darkness, praying fervently for divine aid. Moved by his faith, angels descend to break the enemy lines or cause the attackers to flee in terror. The grateful townspeople erect wooden stakes or simple crosses where the man first knelt in prayer, marking the site as hallowed ground. De Morgan weaves together these disparate threads—procession, ramparts, open scripture—into a coherent visual narrative. Her painting thus serves as both a retelling and an imaginative expansion, filling in emotional nuances and moral imperatives absent from dry textual accounts.
Composition and Spatial Dynamics
The vertical canvas measures over seven feet in height, emphasizing both the monumentality of the city’s walls and the intimate gravity of the man’s vigil. De Morgan divides the scene into three horizontal tiers that guide the viewer’s eye from foreground to background. At the bottom, the poor man sits on a stone step, his bare sandaled feet set amid patches of grass and blackberries, underscoring his humble connection to the earth. The middle ground features a richly ornamental embattlement—its geometric carvings echoing the austerity of the man’s plight. Beyond, the grand procession unfolds, its lines of figures receding toward the city gates. The uppermost tier displays the fortified city: round towers, pointed spires, crenellated walls, and fluttering pennants under a pale dawn sky. Although the composition is complex, its structure remains lucid, allowing each element to participate in a unified narrative arc: from individual faith to collective celebration to civic sanctuary.
Palette and Light
De Morgan’s color scheme in The Poor Man Who Saved the City balances earthy tones with touches of architectural grandeur. The man’s simple tunic and shawl are rendered in muted umbers and indigos, while the city walls bask in soft rose and ochre, as though bathed by the early morning sun. The procession’s garments alternate between ivory whites, burnt sienna, and gentle greens, creating a rhythmic chromatic pattern that suggests both unity and diversity. Light emanates from an unseen source to the left—presumably the rising sun—casting gentle shadows that articulate stone textures and drapery folds. Highlights on metallic helmets and the open book’s gilded edges draw attention to key narrative signposts. De Morgan’s mastery of subtle glazing produces a pearl‑like luminosity, ensuring that even the most understated hues contribute to the painting’s overall radiance.
Symbolism and Theological Dimensions
Every detail in The Poor Man Who Saved the City carries symbolic weight. The open book at the man’s feet bears an inscription from Psalm 9: “The poor shall praise Him in judgment, and put their trust in the Lord.” Its pages rest upon a scattering of blackberries—fruit associated with humility, wildness, and, in Christian lore, the Crown of Thorns. The man’s clasped hands echo the bearded figure of Moses or rural anchorites, invoking a tradition of solitary intercessors. The procession behind him comprises three distinct groups—clergy, layfolk, and soldiers—signifying the entire body politic uniting in gratitude. The city’s pennants, all waving in unison, serve as outward signs of restored harmony. De Morgan thus layers Christian theology, medieval civic ritual, and agrarian imagery to construct a moral fable: when the lowly pray with sincere faith, even the mightiest ramparts cannot contain divine compassion.
Technical Execution and Brushwork
Evelyn De Morgan executed this ambitious canvas using a blend of academic precision and Pre‑Raphaelite detail. X‑ray analysis reveals an initial underdrawing in charcoal, delineating every figure and architectural element. She then applied a warm brown imprimatura to bind the composition tonally. Over this, she layered oil paints—starting with local color blocks, followed by translucent glazes to achieve depth and subtle shifts in hue. The flecks of light on the poor man’s weathered skin were built through successive scumbles of ochre and rose, giving his face a lifelike presence. The masonry’s reliefs were painted with a combination of fine liner brushes and palette‑knife impasto to suggest carved stone. In the distant procession, De Morgan used a stippling technique to indicate crowds without losing individual gestures. The result is a painting at once meticulously detailed and suffused with painterly warmth.
Emotional and Psychological Impact
Although rooted in allegory, The Poor Man Who Saved the City engages viewers on a profoundly human level. The poor man’s downcast gaze and furrowed brow convey a mixture of sorrow and steadfast hope. His youth underlines the moral that even the most dispossessed can shoulder great responsibility. Viewers often find themselves drawn into silent communion with him, feeling both empathy for his plight and admiration for his courage. The procession’s orderly advance evokes a communal heartbeat—steady, reverent, unified. The city walls, though imposing, become a backdrop to human drama rather than barriers between classes. De Morgan invites us to consider our own potential for intercession, urging a psychology of solidarity rather than alienation.
Reception and Legacy
Upon its completion, The Poor Man Who Saved the City was exhibited at the New Gallery in London to widespread praise. Critics lauded De Morgan’s ability to meld narrative clarity with symbolic resonance. Some commentators noted the painting’s subtle critique of social hierarchies, suggesting that true heroism lay not in noble lineage but in grassroots faith. Over time, as modernist trends favored abstraction, De Morgan’s detailed allegories receded from public view. The late twentieth‑century revival of interest in women artists and Pre‑Raphaelite legacies began to restore her reputation, and The Poor Man Who Saved the City is now celebrated as a potent exemplar of art committed to social conscience. It figures prominently in scholarly discussions about art and social reform, women’s contributions to ecclesiastical imagery, and the development of early twentieth‑century British painting.
Contemporary Relevance
More than a century after its creation, The Poor Man Who Saved the City continues to speak to modern audiences. Its themes of social justice, grassroots agency, and the power of individual conscience resonate in contexts ranging from community activism to faith‑based outreach. Art historians cite the painting in courses on Christian art and social history, while civic leaders use its narrative as a metaphor for citizen‑driven change. In digital media, the image circulates as an emblem of human dignity, reminding viewers that transformative acts can come from the humblest quarters. In an age marked by widening inequality and civic disillusionment, De Morgan’s allegory offers a reminder that moral authority often resides where power seems least likely.
Conclusion
Evelyn De Morgan’s The Poor Man Who Saved the City transcends its medieval subject to become a timeless parable of faith, humility, and communal redemption. Through a masterful union of Pre‑Raphaelite detail, Symbolist depth, and Christian Socialist conviction, De Morgan crafts a work that speaks across centuries. The painting’s ascending composition carries viewers from the personal agony of the solitary intercessor to the collective joy of a city redeemed. Its rich palette, layered symbolism, and technical brilliance ensure that each viewing yields fresh insights. In celebrating the moral agency of the marginalized, De Morgan invites us to reexamine our own capacity for intercession—reminding us that, at every historical moment, “the poor shall praise Him in judgment, and put their trust in the Lord.”