Portrait of Mrs. FD Millet

Frank often used Lily, his wife, as a model for his paintings.  He also did several portraits.  One in 1886 in colonial dress.  This portrait is one of two done latter in their marriage.  The other is of Lily, in a formal gown and in a powdered wig, ready for a ball. Currently it is not dated and is in the gallery on the last page. This portrait is much more realistic of her natural beauty and greying hair, which we see regularly in photos pulled up on to her head.

The following selection of photos will show how truly beautiful Lily was and how she aged very gracefully.

                       Elizabeth Greely “Lily” Merrill Millet.  Lily was a stylish young woman and part of a well known family when Frank met her several months after returning from his coverage of the Russian -Turkish War.  They were married in Paris in 1879.  Mark Twain and well known sculptor, Augustus Saint-Gaudens were the witnesses.

This portrait of Lily was done by their good friend John Singer Sargent.  Whom they named one of their sons after.  Sargent first met the Millets when “fleeing” Paris, after the Madam X painting controversy.  Sargent was injured diving into the Thames river and was taken by his traveling companion, Edwin Austin Abbey, to the Millet’s home home in Broadway, England to recover.  Abbey was also a close friend of Frank and Lily, who named another of their sons after him, Edwin.  Unfortunately, Edwin died at 4 months old of illness.  But Abbey knew Lily had a good heart and would take care of Sargent.  Sargent went on to paint one of his most famous paintings, “Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose in the Millet’s gardens in Broadway.

Kate, the Millet’s daughter was married about the same time as this portrait was painted in 1906 and we see how both parents were aging gracefully. 

Russell House in the 19th Century and Today.

Russell House is located in Broadway, England and was the Millet Family home for years other than in the winter when they usually lived in New York or Boston.  Russell House was undoubtedly the center of a thriving arts colony, including Henry James, the writer; Sargent, Mary Anderson de Navarro, Abbey, and many other notables.  

When in America, Lily, later in life, was a sought after interior designer for many of the Newport elite families, like the Vanderbilts etc.  She was so successful that in one year she recorded over $100,000 in income from her design work.