The Ruling Passion

"The Ruling Passion" also known as "The Ornithologist" is a compelling painting by John Everett Millais that was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1885. The painting portrays an elderly man reclining on a chaise longue, proudly displaying a stuffed king bird of paradise to an attentive group consisting of a woman and children. Their reactions vary widely, from sheer fascination to apparent boredom, with one of the girls holding a quetzal.

The inspiration for this painting came from a visit Millais and his son made to the renowned ornithologist John Gould shortly before Gould's death in 1881. Although the scene depicted in the painting is not an exact representation of that visit, it captures the essence of the moment. The elderly man in the painting was modeled after engraver Thomas Oldham Barlow. Millais also incorporated professional models and his own grandchildren to complete the scene.

The painting was well-received, with the esteemed critic John Ruskin praising it as one of the standout pieces at the exhibition.