Dimensions support: 407 x 303 mm
Curator: John Everett Millais captured Serjeant Ralph Thomas on canvas; what strikes you first about this portrait? Editor: The somber palette certainly sets a tone. The man appears almost swallowed by the darkness around him. Curator: Indeed, the dark tones contrast with the subject’s serene demeanor. He's an interesting figure, a noted bibliophile who made important contributions to Notes and Queries. Millais has rendered him with soft brushstrokes, conveying a sense of calm intellectualism. Editor: But is it calm, or repression? I can't help but consider the military context. What does it mean to portray a serjeant, likely bound by duty and obedience, with such a passive stillness? Curator: It's tempting to see deeper symbolism, but perhaps Millais simply captured a moment of repose. Editor: Maybe. Still, the painting invites questions about power, representation, and the internal lives of those in service. Curator: An intriguing point—food for thought. Editor: Absolutely.
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/millais-serjeant-ralph-thomas-n03159
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Ralph Thomas was a well-known lawyer who was also a picture collector and dealer. He appears to have known Millais' parents. In about 1845 he made an agreement with the sixteen-year old artist that he paint small pictures for him on a retainer of ¿100 per year. The first cheque Millais ever received for his work came from Thomas. It was a for a sum of ¿5 'for a sketch'. The arrangement lasted for two years. In the end Millais withdrew from it chiefly because Thomas appeared to be taking advantage of him. This portrait shows Thomas standing by a picture on an easel, perhaps one by Millais himself. The date on the portrait suggests that Millais kept in touch with his early patron despite the apparent animosity between them. Gallery label, August 2004
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