The artwork titled “John Ruskin,” created by John Everett Millais in 1853, is an oil on canvas piece representing the Realism movement. Measuring 68 by 78.7 centimeters, this portrait genre painting is part of the collection at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, United Kingdom.
The artwork depicts John Ruskin standing against a richly detailed natural backdrop. Dressed in a dark frock coat and holding a hat, Ruskin is portrayed against a dynamic background of cascading waterfalls and rugged rock formations. The scene captures Ruskin in a moment of introspection, seemingly engaged with the natural elements surrounding him. Millais meticulously renders the textures and tones of the natural setting, emphasizing the Realist emphasis on depicting subjects with a high degree of fidelity and detail. The combination of Ruskin’s pensive expression and the vibrant, lifelike background encapsulates the spirit of the Realism art movement.