A wounded officer lying on his couch, at the head of which is seated his wife. An Irish wolfhound is also lying curled up on the sofa. Arched top.

Peace Concluded, 1856

Oil on canvasexpand_more

The Putnam Dana McMillan Fundexpand_more  69.48

At first glance this appears to be a family portrait complete with realistic details of middle-class English decor. In fact, it is a staged scene of domestic harmony, celebrating the end of the Crimean War. The father, a wounded officer, holds a copy of the Times announcing the war's end. One daughter clasps his combat medal. On the mother's lap, four animals from the toy Noah's Ark represent the four belligerents: Britain (lion), Russia (bear), the Ottoman Empire (turkey), and France (rooster). The girl at the left holds a dove with an olive branch in its beak, a symbol of peace. Millais belonged to a group of English painters called the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Their work emphasized close observation of nature and the depiction of contemporary events.

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Sir John Everett Millais, Peace Concluded, 1856 (#933)
Details
Title
Peace Concluded
Artist Life
1829 - 1896
Role
Artist
Accession Number
69.48
Curator Approved

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A wounded officer lying on his couch, at the head of which is seated his wife. An Irish wolfhound is also lying curled up on the sofa. Arched top.