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Lot Essay
John Wycliffe Taylor, born 24 April 1859, was the son of the playwright Tom Taylor, Editor of Punch from 1874 to 1880 and an early champion of Millais's work. The boy’s portrait was painted in fulfillment of a promise that Millais made to Taylor before John was born; that if he ever had a son, Millais would paint the child in return for Taylor’s 'many an act of friendly kindness.' The portrait was begun not long before the boy's fifth birthday in 1864, though was not delivered until much later that year owing to a delay caused by the death of the artist’s mother in April. Taylor recorded his delight with the picture in a letter to Millais written on 27 December: 'My dear Millais,’ he wrote, 'I cannot allow the day to pass without thanking you for your beautiful portrait of our boy. It is an exquisite picture of a child, and a perfect likeness. Both his mother and myself feel that you have given us a quite inimitable treasure, which, long years hence, will enable us to recall what our boy was at the age when childhood is loveliest and finest… It seems to us the sweetest picture of a child even you have painted. If you would like to have it exhibited, I need not say it is at your service for the purpose.’ The work was truly an excellent likeness, as evidenced by a photo taken by Lewis Carroll (né Charles Dodgson) of the boy only a year before (fig. 1).
Indeed the family did treasure the picture for many years, as it remained with both of John Wycliffe Taylor’s parents until their deaths, and then with the family’s heirs until it was sold in these Rooms in 1997. Though Tom Taylor’s name is perhaps not immediately recognizable on its own, his best-known dramatic work holds a rather infamous place in American history. His comedy Our American Cousin, written in 1858, was the play that President Abraham Lincoln was attending at Ford’s Theatre when he was assassinated in 1865.
We are grateful to Dr Jason Rosenfeld for confirming the authenticity of this work.
Indeed the family did treasure the picture for many years, as it remained with both of John Wycliffe Taylor’s parents until their deaths, and then with the family’s heirs until it was sold in these Rooms in 1997. Though Tom Taylor’s name is perhaps not immediately recognizable on its own, his best-known dramatic work holds a rather infamous place in American history. His comedy Our American Cousin, written in 1858, was the play that President Abraham Lincoln was attending at Ford’s Theatre when he was assassinated in 1865.
We are grateful to Dr Jason Rosenfeld for confirming the authenticity of this work.