Pre-Raphaelite

John Everett Millais

John Everett Millais (1829–1896) was a founder of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and a child prodigy of British painting. His luminous, hyper-detailed Ophelia is one of the most famous images in British art.

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1829–1896 · British Pre-Raphaelite painter

Millais moved from radical Pre-Raphaelite to the most successful establishment painter of his day, becoming President of the Royal Academy.

From the artist's life

For Ophelia, the model Elizabeth Siddal lay in a bathtub for hours; the lamps warming it went out and she caught a serious cold.

Source: Wikipedia / Wikimedia

Co-founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood at just 19.
Painted Ophelia with botanically exact, glowing detail.
Later became President of the Royal Academy.

Portrait: John Everett Millais — Portrait: Wikimedia Commons / Wikipedia.

Key works

Where to start

Complete list of key works

Works with a dedicated ArtAtlas page are highlighted in gold.

List checked against Wikidata

OpheliaOn ArtAtlas
Christ in the House of His ParentsListed for reference
IsabellaListed for reference
Autumn LeavesListed for reference
MarianaListed for reference
The Order of ReleaseListed for reference
The Vale of RestListed for reference
The Black BrunswickerListed for reference

1851

Ophelia

The model Elizabeth Siddal lay for hours in a bath; the lamps beneath went out, she fell ill, and her father billed the artist for the doctor.