John Everett Millais (1829-1896)

John Everett Millais was an English artist and co-founder of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Some of his most famous paintings include 'Ophelia', 'Christ in the House of his Parents' and 'The Order of Release'. He was also a successful book illustrator and among those he contributed drawings to, were works by Anthony Trollope, Alfred Lord Tennyson and his friend Wilkie Collins. He was the first artist to be awarded a hereditary title, becoming a baronet in 1885. In 1896, the year of his death, he became President of the Royal Academy. 

"Mr Wilkie Collins has written to me about an

illustration to“No Name” which I shall be happy to

undertake…"

There are two short letters written by John Everett Millais in the Sampson Low Collection. In this letter written to Sampson Low in July 1863, he explains that the author Wilkie Collins has requested an illustration to accompany his book 'No Name', and he requires further details from Sampson Low regarding the nature of the drawing.

Millais subsequently produced the frontispiece illustration for the one volume edition of 'No Name' which was published the following year by Sampson Low. 

View John Everett Millais' letter [opens in a new window]

Image Rights: Sir John Everett Millais. Photograph by John & Chas. Watkins. Wellcome Collection. CC BY 4.0