English Victorian painter and illustrator (1829–1896) who co-founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in London, seeking a return to the sincerity, clarity, and vivid detail of early Renaissance art before Raphael. Millais became renowned for his technically precise, richly coloured works that combined close observation of nature with literary, historical, and religious themes. Appointed President of the Royal Academy shortly before his death, Millais bridged radical artistic reform and establishment recognition, shaping the course of nineteenth-century British art.