Millais

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A proper noun referring to a 19th-century English painter known for his contributions to the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and his detailed, vibrant artworks during the Victorian era
2. The surname of a historical figure recognized for significant influence in British art, especially noted for intricate portraits and narrative paintings in the mid-1800s
3. An identifying title associated with an influential artist who helped shape a notable movement in English painting, characterized by realism and rich coloration in the Victorian period

Etymology: Millais is not a word that grew from older English roots. It is a surname, and as a common noun it works as a label for a painter, much as one might speak of a Turner or a Rossetti. The name belongs to Sir John Everett Millais, a founder of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a group of young artists who rejected the polished conventions taught at the Royal Academy and painted with sharp detail and bright colour. The family name had Channel Islands roots, as his father came from Jersey, which accounts for its French-looking spelling. The irony of the name's later history is that Millais himself eventually became President of the Royal Academy, the institution his early circle had set itself against.