Evening star., 1896-08-13

LONDON, August 13.-Slr John Millais
president of the Royal Academy of Arts
died at $50 pm. today
Sir John Everett Milais was the most
distinguished English painter of the pres
ent day. He succeeded Lord Leighton i'm
the presidency of the Academy, and since
the death Of that great painter has been
recognized as not only by virtue of his
office. but also by virtue of his talents
3nd accomplishments, the first artist of
the british empire. AS early April la ST
MS friends were Shocked by the announce
Elent that MllaiS was seriously i'll. and
'iiat MS disease was cancer of the throat,
induced by inordinate smoking. ard pro-
hounced as undoubtedly fatal as soon as
recognized by his physicians. An opera
tieh OF tracheotcmy. performed on May 10,
Afforded but little relief, and that was only
temporary.
John Everett Millais was born in South
ampton June s. lS29. He belonged to an
old and well-known family of the Island
of Jersey. and the most of his chilIhool
was spent in the Channel Islands and in
France.
Millais' taste for art, exhibited ina early
boyhOod. was fostered by his parents who
sent him, when in his ninth year, 20 Sass
Art School in bloomsbury. to study draw
ing. In 1910 he entered the Royal Acad-
envy, where he distinguished himself in ali
the schools. winning the silver medal in
each, and, in 1S47, the gold medal for his
historical composition. THE Tribe of Ben
Jamin Seizing the Daughters OF Shiloh
This picture. was exhibited at the british
Institution in 1SiS. His "Pizarro Seizing
the Inca of Peru had obtained a place On
the walls of the Academy two years pre-
viously. and I'm 1877 his "Emissaries of
Dunstan Selling Queen Elgiva." He ron-
tributed, also In the last named year. a
large cartoon, fourteen feet by ten, enti-
Tied The Widows Mite" to the competi-
tive exhibition in Westminster Hall.
While student in the Acalemy the pc
culiar ideas which afterward developed
into school of art agi:ated his mind. He
tacitly rebelled against the teachings of his
masters. and, toward the close of his
course. united with several fellow-students
in founding association a:terward
known as the "Pre-Raphaelite Brother
hood" whose miss ion WAS to forward their
views Of art. Among his associates in this
movement were " illiam Holman Hunt and
Dante Gabriel Rossetti, roth OF whom have
since become prominent eXponents of the
peculiar theories of this school Their
avowed object was to restore to art the
simplicity. truth and earnestness which
characterized the early Christian painters.
under Raphael anG his contemporaries and
successors, who had derived their inspira-
ton from classical and pagan rather than
from Christian sources. In 1Si9 Millais eX-
hibted his picture of Isabella" from
Keats poem. his first practical illustration
of his art theory; and, at the same time,
Hunt gave his ideas in the same style in
his ''Rienzi.' and Rossetu in his '-Girlhood
of the Virgin From the exhibition of
these three pictures some writers date. wit h
good reason. the advent of pre-Raphaelit-
ism. the influence of which has been SO po-
tent in the English of the century.
In the exhibitior of 1880 notwithstanding
the ridicule of the critics. who showed a
disposition to treat the efforts of the brot H.
erhood as a juvenile freak rather than as
a serious attempt, Millais and his asso-
ciates appeared with new evidences of their
earnestness and of their intention to pros
ecute vigorously the war which they had
begun against what they der ominated con-
ventionalism in art. Millais' Ferdinand
Lured by Ariel showed unquestioned abil-
ity. and a second canvas, exhibited with
out name. by the same artist commands
ed such universal attention as to elevate
the school at once from the realm Of ridi-
cule to the domain of sober criticism.
This picture represented the child Jesus
in the workshop of Joseph the carpenter
Whatever We're it's good qualities or its
faults, II certainly had one merritt COM
manded attention, and brought its author
prominently into notice; and since that
TIME NlllldlS mas occupied an envable
rank among English artists
In 1852 MillaiS devoted himself to the de-
piction of tender sentimentality, without
however. abe bandoning any of his character
istc peculiarities. In ''The Huguenots," a
composition of two figures and "Ophelia, -
his contributions of this year, his admirers
recognized grace and beauty Of design
excelled only by the :nanipulative skill dis
played In their execution. In 1853 Mr. Mil.
lais was elected an associate of the Royal
Academy. He was constant contributor
to the academy exhibitions thereafter. In
1863 he was made full member Of the
academy, and shared with his friend Leigh.
ton the highest honors of the Institution.
John Ruskin. the warm friend and parti.
san of the Pre-Raphaelites, wanting a Dor.
trait OF his young and beautiful wife EN-.
ployed the young and handsome artist
Millais to paint it, and. as a consequence
the youthful couple fell in love with each
other. Ruskin. already approaching mid
die age. did not fly into Jealous rage. bu,
amicably recognized the facts of the situ.
alton, and lent his aid to adjust matters
accordingly. BY his help a divorce was
privately procured, and Mrs Ruskin he.
came Mrs. Millais.
In June. 1885. her ma ajesty conferred bar.
onetcles upon Millais and upon George
Watts. On the Goth Of February last Sir
John Millais was unanimously elected presi.
dent of tho Royal Academy to succeed ord
Leighton, deceased