Personal treasures belonging to John Everett Millais and Effie Gray to go on display in Scotland for the first time
A private collection of rarely-seen artworks and personal belongings of celebrated Victorian painter John Everett Millais and his Perth-born wife, Effie Gray, will be going on long-term loan to Perth Art Gallery, operated by Culture Perth and Kinross (CPK).
Millais and Effie’s great-grandson, Sir Geoffroy Millais, will be lending his collection of over 300 objects, that has remained unseen for 30 years, and includes more than 75 small acquisitions of his own made over 40 years. The unique collection offers an intimate window into the personal and artistic lives of one of Britain’s most culturally significant couples.
Sir Geoffroy Millais, said: “It feels fitting that this collection finds its home in Perth, where the story of my great-grandparents began. Sharing these personal treasures with the public is a way of keeping their legacy alive and offering new generations the chance to connect with their remarkable lives and work.“
Though Millais is best known as a founder of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, this collection reflects his early years as a child prodigy, including a series of drawings from when the artist was just 7 years old and his earliest oil paintings, through to his later career and family life. The collection includes 19 oil paintings, over 150 works on paper, personal correspondence, studio tools such as the artist’s brushes and palettes, and treasured belongings of Effie Gray, including her lace, jewellery, and family heirlooms.
The Last Rose of Summer – Portrait of Mary Hunt Millais (1860-1944), 1888, by JE Millais, oil on canvas
Helen Smout, Chief Executive of Culture Perth and Kinross, said: “We are honoured to be the recipients of such an important and personal collection. This is not only a homecoming for Effie Gray, but a celebration of Millais’ enduring connection to Perthshire and a transformative moment for the cultural landscape of our region.”
Unusually rich in personal material, the collection also features a cast of a salmon Millais caught on the River Tay, prepared by renowned local firm Malloch’s of Perth, and a christening porringer gifted to the couple’s daughter, Mary, by her godfather and fellow Pre-Raphaelite, William Holman Hunt.
From 25 July 2025, a free public display titled Millais in Perthshire will open in Gallery 3 at Perth Art Gallery. Featuring more than 25 highlight objects from Sir Geoffroy Millais’ collection, this marks the first time any of these items have been shown to the public in Scotland. The display will be presented alongside the gallery’s existing Millais holdings, including the celebrated paintings, Waking (Just Awake) (1865) and Portrait of Effie Millais (1873).
Waking by JE Millais
The display of this collection marks a new chapter for Perth Art Gallery, which has been reimagined as a dedicated home for the region’s fine art collection following the opening of the new Perth Museum in March 2024. The exhibition not only brings national cultural significance to the city of Perth but also marks the first time in more than two decades that all of the gallery’s public spaces will be fully accessible.
Euphemia “Effie” Chalmers Gray (1828-1897) was born in Perth into the Gray family of Bowerswell. Her annulment from the art critic John Ruskin and subsequent marriage to Millais in 1855 caused a Victorian scandal and her life later inspired books, plays, and films. The couple married in the drawing room at Bowerswell and later lived nearby at Annat Lodge.
Perthshire was not only a home for the couple, but a creative haven. Millais returned frequently to fish, shoot, and above all to paint, drawing inspiration from the landscapes, rivers, and people of the area, with local scenery appearing in some of his most celebrated paintings.
A standout work in the new collection is the rarely seen oil painting Halcyon Weather (1892), created near Newmiln House by Stanley, Perthshire. The painting was completed during an autumn visit, a time of rest and reflection for the artist.
Halcyon Weather, 1892, by JE Millais oil on canvas
His son, John Guille Millais, later wrote, “Here for a while, he enjoyed the peace and freedom he so greatly needed… when the landscape appeared before him in all the full glory of its autumn tints, he could not resist the temptation to secure at least some record of its beauty.”
Shortly after completing the painting, a devastating fire destroyed part of Newmiln House. Halcyon Weather was dramatically rescued, alongside most of the family’s belongings, by local men who hurled possessions from the windows to save them. The painting was first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1892 with the caption: “Expect St Martin’s summer, halcyon days” — Henry VI, Part I
Other highlights of the collection include:
- A watercolour portrait of Effie while married to John Ruskin and painted in 1853 on their way to staying in Glenfinlas in the Trossachs.
- Oil portraits of Effie’s sister, Sophia
- Intimate portraits of their children: Everett, George, and Mary.
- Millais’ Royal Academy diploma, signed by Queen Victoria
- The family Bible, containing handwritten entries
- Folders of transcribed family letters
Together, these items represent one of the most complete personal and artistic records of any Pre-Raphaelite figure and marks one of the most significant cultural acquisitions in Scotland in recent memory.