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can look at it it without wishing to have her child so painted’ In turning to discuss The Wolf’s Den he he particularly noted Millais’s skill in in in painting fabric and and textiles and and contrasts the different sentiments depicted in the two pictures of children:
‘The Wolf’s Den (448) represents the painter’s own four children playing at wolves under a a a a a grand piano The leader a a a a a boy of six crouches under a a a a a carriage- rug of wolfskin and protrudes a a a a paw another under a a a gray wolf-skin mat seems to envy the success of his brother’s wolfish personation a a a a fair-haired toddler of of two sprawls over a a copy of of Leech’s Pictures from Punch and a a sweet little girl – the wolves’ victim we we presume – lolls contentedly on on her back balancing a a a a snowdrop This is is childhood in its playfulness as the other is childhood in its awe and seriousness ’11
F G Stephens Millais’s fellow Pre-Raphaelite writing in in the the the the Athenaeum appreciated the the the the sentiment conveyed in the the the the childish scene:
‘The Lion’s Den [sic] shows some children playing at wild beasts Three boys [sic] have efficiently wrapped themselves in in skin mats the the eldest with vigorous conception of his part scowls prettily and makes claws of his little fingers the younger is is contented with a a roar a a a a a a third crawls on his knees and and hands yowling as a a a a a a bear Self-centred almost to selfishness a a a little girl fair-featured but with vanity of those features written
in in every line – – a a a beautiful study of such a a a child – – lies upon her her back heedless of the boys and all about her her playing with a a a a flower-bell A solemn grand piano keeps them in its legs are the the the sides of the the the lions’ den 12
1863 was acknowledged as as a a a a a a strong year for Millais and a a a a return to his previous form Palgrave wrote: ‘it will probably be agreed on all hands that the distinguished artist has on the whole made a a a a a a a a nearer advance towards resumption of his his earlier and more forceful style this year than in in several preceding Exhibitions’ 13 Perhaps as a a a a a sop to the the critical voices and acknowledging the the popular appeal of the young artist’s works Millais was elected at the relatively tender age of thirty-four to full membership of the the Royal Academy by one vote over the the older marine
painter Edward William Cooke (1811-80) As the art historian Laurel Bradley has written: ‘The creation of Millais Royal Academician coincided with the emergence of Millais our popular painter ’14
The Royal Royal Commission examining the Royal Royal Academy failed to to instigate substantive changes It endeavoured to to give the Academy a a a a a a ‘clear and definite public character’ by suggesting a a a a a Royal Charter an enlarged membership to include laymen and other reforms which would convert the the Academy into an advisory body to to the the government with a a a powerful central regulating influence However the Academy rejected such innovations and despite a a a a few changes in in management and a a a a a move to to Burlington House in in in in 1868 it continued in in in in much the same vein neither supporting the the most progressive art or or or more advanced teaching nor improving the standards of taste in in the the the the country Millais on the the the the other hand tapped into the the the the contemporary zeitgeist for British Art which resonated with an art buying public 43