威廉‧布萊克‧里奇蒙德爵士（Sir William Blake Richmond, 1842-1921）是十九世紀晚期皇家藝術學院的重要畫家，作品以歷史畫和肖像畫為人熟知。里奇蒙德曾為【米利暗的頌讚】投入大量心力，不但走訪義大利畫家的名作，並為之繪製多幅素描（奇美博物館亦有收藏此作的素描），因此向來被認為是里奇蒙德最為嚴謹且細膩的作品。

此作講述〈出埃及記〉中摩西在耶和華的幫助下帶領以色列人走過紅海後，米利暗與眾婦女歌頌耶和華的時刻。畫面以身穿白裙的米利暗為中心，她揚著頭、雙手高舉並拿著鈴鼓，配合揚起的衣裙，足見其歡欣鼓舞之貌。米利暗身後一群手拿鈴鼓、小鼓和鈸的女子們同樣高舉雙手，正向天上的神唱出頌讚之詞。跟隨其後是自小丘上走下、彈奏豎琴或吹奏樂器的女子，而遠方的山丘上則是一群背負重物的女子們。

畫面左側，一位背對觀者並站在米利暗前方的是摩西，他戴著白色的長頭巾，雙手高舉彷彿正在引導著隊伍。位於其左側的隊伍則以吹奏號角和彈奏豎琴的男子們為首，其後則是扛著約瑟屍首擔架的男子，以及駝負各種重物的男子們，而沿著隊伍則可依稀見到遠方紅海的藍色海景。畫家將此一姿態各異的眾多人物場景排列得井然有序，使得豐富的畫面毫無紛亂之感。人物的面容雖皆無太多情緒流露，但畫家透過人物的肌理、動作和衣袍等細膩的刻畫，又使畫面不失生動的氣息。然而，整幅畫面以偏白色的淡色調為主，如人們身上白、粉紅和粉紫等衣裳、土色偏白的小丘，以及白色與粉藍交織的天空，卻讓此一充滿各樣人物的畫面帶有些許肅穆的氣氛。(徐鈺涵)

William Blake Richmond (1842-1921) was an important British painter of the Royal Academy in the late 19th century, renowned for his historical paintings and portraits. To complete this painting, he paid visits to the works of the Italian masters and made sketches in advance of the final draft. Therefore,this piece has been recognized as his most carefully-done and delicate work.

According to the Old Testament, Miriam was the sister of Moses and Aaron. The painting depicts a scene in Exodus, in which Moses and the Israelites were led across the Red Sea by the Lord. Behind Moses comes Miriam and a group of women singing and praising the Lord. The picture features Miriam in the center, dressed in white. She and the women behind hold various kinds of musical instruments and sing hymns joyfully to praise God.

On the left stands Moses, wearing a white kerchief and facing the approaching crowd; he raises his arms high as if leading a parade. In the group to the left of Moses, some men areblowing horns, some are playing harps, and some are carrying Joseph’s coffin, while the others are carrying loads on their backs. At a distance along the march, the blue water of the Red Sea remains discernible. Although the figures are not depicted with much facial expressions, the whole picture is made lively with the painter’s treatment of details in muscles, actions, and clothes. The scene of the multitude in various postures at different locations appears rather orderly under the painter’s arrangement. (Yu Han HSU)