Peace Concluded, 1856

"Peace Concluded, 1856" by John Everett Millais is a captivating painting that tells a poignant story. It features a wounded British officer reading a newspaper about the end of the Crimean War. What began as a satirical piece transformed into a heartfelt scene of recovery at home.

The central figure is modeled after Millais's wife, Effie Gray. The officer, accompanied by an Irish wolfhound, sits reading the newspaper while his wife rests beside him. The painting is rich with symbolism: a myrtle bush represents marital fidelity; a chapter from Thackeray's novel and a wooden box symbolize the war's combatants; and a print in the background depicts a British officer's death.

Critics had mixed feelings about the painting. John Ruskin praised Millais's use of color, likening it to the work of Titian. However, others criticized the portrayal of the figures and their physical closeness, feeling that the clothing seemed more lifelike than the people themselves. The intimate arrangement of the figures might reflect Millais's own relationship with Gray, as he completed the painting on their first anniversary, infusing it with personal significance.