June 8, 1829

John Millais (June 8, 1829 to August 13, 1896) was famous in Victorian England for his paintings. He was a founder of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, though his art would rise above that standard. When Millais fell in love with Ruskin's wife, it caused a scandal that I understand was recently retold in cinematic form.

Millais' talent was apparent as a young boy and he fulfilled that promise spectacularly, soon giving up any bohemian impulses and settling into the life of a respectable middle class pater familias with Effie and their eight children. His public acclaim  included appreciation for his portraits of Victorian notables, and sometimes, cats. Here is a detail from his portrait of Thomas Combe, who was the printer for the Oxford University Press.