The Ruling Passion
Encyclopedia
The Ruling Passion, sometimes called The Ornithologist, is a painting by John Everett Millais
which was shown at the Royal Academy
Exhibition in 1885
.
The painting shows an old man lying on a chaise-longue, who is showing a stuffed bird, a King Bird of Paradise
, to a group of children and a woman. The older girl on the left of the picture is holding a Resplendent Quetzal
, and other specimens are scattered about. The attitude of the children ranges from the enthralled interest of the youngest two to the comparative indifference, almost boredom, of the oldest girl.
The work was inspired by a visit which Millais and his son John Guille Millais
paid to the ornithologist
John Gould
shortly before his death in 1881. On the way home, Millais said to his son "That's a fine subject; a very fine subject. I shall paint it when I have time." It was in fact several years after Gould's death before he had time, and the picture as painted is not a representation of Gould or of the actual scene during Millais' visit – the central figure was modelled by the engraver Thomas Oldham Barlow
, a friend of the artist, two of the others are professional models, and the two smallest children are Millais' grandchildren (one of whom is William Milbourne James
).
The painting was well received – the influential critic Ruskin
said that it was one of "only three things worth looking at" in the R.A. exhibition.
John Everett Millais
Sir John Everett Millais, 1st Baronet, PRA was an English painter and illustrator and one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.-Early life:...
which was shown at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
Exhibition in 1885
1885 in art
-Events:*"Glasgow Boys" first exhibit collectively, at the Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts.-Works:* Thomas Eakins - The Swimming Hole.*Stanhope Forbes - .*Ellen Day Hale - Self Portrait * Juan Luna - Odalisque....
.
The painting shows an old man lying on a chaise-longue, who is showing a stuffed bird, a King Bird of Paradise
King Bird of Paradise
The King Bird-of-paradise, Cicinnurus regius is a small, approximately 16 cm long, passerine bird of the Paradisaeidae family. The male is a crimson and white with bright blue feet and green-tipped fan-like plumes on its shoulder. The two elongated tail wires are decorated with emerald green...
, to a group of children and a woman. The older girl on the left of the picture is holding a Resplendent Quetzal
Resplendent Quetzal
The Resplendent Quetzal, Pharomachrus mocinno, is a bird in the trogon family. It is found from southern Mexico to western Panama . It is well known for its colorful plumage. There are two subspecies, P. m. mocinno and P. m...
, and other specimens are scattered about. The attitude of the children ranges from the enthralled interest of the youngest two to the comparative indifference, almost boredom, of the oldest girl.
The work was inspired by a visit which Millais and his son John Guille Millais
John Guille Millais
John Guille Millais , known as "Johnny" Millais, was an English artist, naturalist, gardener and travel writer who specialised in wildlife and flower portraiture. He travelled extensively around the world in the late Victorian period detailing wildlife often for the first time...
paid to the ornithologist
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
John Gould
John Gould
John Gould was an English ornithologist and bird artist. The Gould League in Australia was named after him. His identification of the birds now nicknamed "Darwin's finches" played a role in the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection...
shortly before his death in 1881. On the way home, Millais said to his son "That's a fine subject; a very fine subject. I shall paint it when I have time." It was in fact several years after Gould's death before he had time, and the picture as painted is not a representation of Gould or of the actual scene during Millais' visit – the central figure was modelled by the engraver Thomas Oldham Barlow
Thomas Oldham Barlow
Thomas Oldham Barlow was an English mezzotint engraver. His engravings helped to popularise the works of painters like John Phillip and Sir John Everett Millais. He was made a Royal Academician.-Biography:...
, a friend of the artist, two of the others are professional models, and the two smallest children are Millais' grandchildren (one of whom is William Milbourne James
William Milbourne James
Admiral Sir William Milbourne James GCB was a British Naval commander, politician and author, perhaps most notable for his activities in the Naval Intelligence Division in the First World War.-Family:...
).
The painting was well received – the influential critic Ruskin
John Ruskin
John Ruskin was the leading English art critic of the Victorian era, also an art patron, draughtsman, watercolourist, a prominent social thinker and philanthropist. He wrote on subjects ranging from geology to architecture, myth to ornithology, literature to education, and botany to political...
said that it was one of "only three things worth looking at" in the R.A. exhibition.