The Funeral of the Duke of Wellington 1852

"The Funeral of the Duke of Wellington," a 1852 sketch by Sir John Everett Millais, captures the somber procession of the Duke's funeral in a loose, gestural style. The artist, known for his meticulous detail in paintings like "Ophelia," uses a quick, spontaneous technique in this pen and ink study. The composition features multiple figures on horseback and on foot, their forms rendered with a sense of movement, suggesting the solemnity and grandeur of the occasion. The sketch exemplifies Millais's ability to capture the essence of a scene through rapid, yet expressive marks.