Euphemia 'Effie' Chalmers Gray, Mrs John Ruskin (1828-1898), later Lady Millais, with Foxgloves in her...

Sir John Everett Millais RA (Southampton 1829- London 1896). Oil painting on panel, Euphemia 'Effie' Chalmers Gray, Mrs John Ruskin (1828-1898) with foxgloves in her Hair (The Foxglove) by Sir John Everett Millais (Southampton 1829- London 1896), signed JM [monogram] and dated 1853. A half-length portrait of Effie Ruskin, seated sewing to left, in black dress with green ribbons, and black lace cap trimmed with foxgloves. This is an important example of the small-scale, intimate portraits of friends and family by the Pre-Raphaelite artists. In the summer of 1853 Millais went on holiday with the Ruskins in Scotland, staying at Brig o' Turk in the Trossachs for nearly four months. There Millais began work on his full-length portrait of Ruskin standing on a rock in the stream at Glenfinlas. A companion portrait of Effie was also proposed, but the idea was eventually abandoned. During the stay Millais made a large number of paintings and drawings of their activities, many of them showing Effie. This portrait of her, seated sewing, is one of them. On 14 July Ruskin wrote to his father: "Wet weather again - but Millais has painted a beautiful study of Effie with foxgloves in her hair" and on 19 July that Millais "has been making me innumerable presents of little sketches and a beautiful one of Effie with foxgloves in her hair - worth at least £50." The Ruskin marriage was unhappy, and Effie and Millais fell in love during the holiday. In 1854 Effie obtained an annulment; she married Millais later that year. Millais never handed the picture over to Ruskin. On 21/ 22 July 1854, after the annulment, Millais wrote to Effie "Bye the bye what am I to do with the little portrait I did of you with the foxgloves? I have never sent it to him, and now I suppose it is impossible and yet I do not like to keep it after giving it him". Wightwick Manor, West Midlands (Accredited Museum)