Study Head
Date: 1872
Dimensions: Height: 44.5 cm (17.5 in.), Width: 36.8 cm (14.5 in.)
Medium: Painting – oil on board
Owner/Location: Private Collection, UK
Description
This Study Head, is significant since there are few of Millet’s paintings from this 1872 Antwerp period of his art studies, which can be definitely attributed to Frank. Millet preferred to be called Frank by his friends and acquaintances though he never signed any known work as Frank. His signatures range from FD Millet, the most common to FDM and occasionally his full Francis Davis Millet.
This Study Head, painted on a mahogany looking board, has a handwritten inscription on the back and is signed by George Bown Millett.
It’s transcription is:
“This Study Head was painted by Francis Davis Millet a the Academy of Arts in Antwerp in October 1872. He [Millet] is the oldest son of Dr. Asa Millett of Bridgewater Massachusetts US America. It was received by me as a present from the painter 20 December 1872 Penzance 18 Jan 1878 George Bown Millett
George Bown Millett (1842-1896) was a well-known Penzance, UK, genealogist and antiquarian of the time and relative of FD Millet. George Bown Millett’s UK, portion of the Millett family, kept the double T in their names, where the US Millet’s dropped the second T. Sometimes in historical records Bown’s name is misspelled as Brown.
The painting is in a 19th Century “Watts” frame.
Exhibitions / Provenance
Exhibitions:
2010, A Celebration of the Work of John Singer Sargent and the Broadway Colony, Broadway Arts Festival, 2010, p. 29
Provenance:
The Back of the painting is signed and attributed to FD Millet by George Bown Millett, a well known genealogist of the time, and a relative of FD Millet. It describes the painting as a present and dates the gift on 20 December 1872.
As recorded in the inscription; thence at an unknown date to Millet’s descendants the Adlard family of Winchcombe, and thence to William Adlard, great-grandson of the artist, from whom purchased, September 2017 for private UK collection.
Research / Publications
Research:
The provenance of this painting is incomplete, but fascinating. George Bown Millett (1842-1896, with two t’s, author of the inscription, was a Cornish antiquary, writer and composer, who had no direct family relationship with Frank. According to Millet scholar, and author of “Francis Davis Millet: A Titanic Life,” Peter Engstrom; Frank was sketching at St Michael’s Mount, Penzance, in late August or early September 1872, when Frank Millet presumably ran into or was introduced to George Bown Millett. On his way back from the west country FD Millet visited the church of St Mary’s in Perivale, near London, where there is an important medieval brass commemorating Henry Myllet and his family. It was perhaps Millett, the antiquarian, who told FD Millet about this brass.
FD Millet returned to Antwerp in the latter part of October, when he must have immediately painted this study, which, in gratitude, he sent as a Christmas gift to Millett. At some time Millett or his descendants must have given the painting to the Adlard family.
Publications: