JOHN EVERETT MILLAIS
26 to 30 April 1999

Watercolours provided by


Every Pre-Raphaelite figure, however studied in expression, is a true portrait of some living person. Every minute accessory is painted in the same manner. (Ruskin)

A practical drawing and painting course, led by Amanda Bracken, which explored the ideas and techniques developed by Millais in the portraits from his Pre-Raphaelite period to the later society portraits of the 1870s and 1880s.

The morning was spent looking at different aspects of portraiture; composition, foreground, background, colour, texture, detail and the identity of the sitter. Course participants made quick sketches from selected portraits in the exhibition. They then isolated and developed a small area of detail from an individual painting.

The following selection of images shows the type of work produced during the course.

Middle left, top row:
Leisure Hours, 1864
© The Detroit Institute of Arts, Founders Society Purchase, Robert H. Tannahill Foundation Fund

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All images and text are subject to copyright protection. 06 October 2008