A portrait of Portia from Shakespeare's *The Merchant of Venice* by Sir John Everett Millais, one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. The painting captures the intelligence of the character.

Sir John Everett Millais (1829-1896) was a British painter and one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. This artistic movement sought to reject what they considered the mechanistic approach first adopted by Mannerist artists who succeeded Raphael and Michelangelo. They believed that Classical poses and compositions had unduly influenced the academic teaching of art. They particularly objected to the influence of Sir Joshua Reynolds. The Pre-Raphaelites wanted a return to the abundant detail, intense colours and complex compositions of Quattrocento Italian and Flemish art. Millais later moved away from the Pre-Raphaelite style, but his early works remain his most celebrated. This portrait depicts Portia, a character from William Shakespeare's play *The Merchant of Venice*. She is shown in a red robe, holding a scroll, and gazing off to the side. The background is dark and indistinct, with a marble column visible to the left. The painting is a fine example of Millais's skill as a portrait painter, and it captures the intelligence and determination of Portia.