Who painted The Order of Release?

The Order of Release was painted by John Everett Millais in 1852.

Where can I see The Order of Release?

The Order of Release is held by National Gallery.

What movement is The Order of Release?

The Order of Release is associated with Pre-Raphaelite.

Can I buy a print of The Order of Release?

Museum-quality prints of The Order of Release are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Order of Release

John Everett Millais , 1852

The Order of Release is an oil painting by the Pre-Raphaelite artist John Everett Millais. It dates from 1852 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery.

About this work

Overview

John Everett Millais’s oil painting The Order of Release (1852–53) portrays a tender family reunion within a prison cell. A man in a brown coat and tartan kilt embraces a woman standing in the doorway, both holding a baby and a dog. A jailer in a red coat hands the man a letter, while a single shaft of light illuminates the scene from the doorway.

Subject & Meaning

The work captures the moment of release after incarceration, emphasizing affection and relief. The man’s upward‑tilted gaze and the woman’s downcast eyes suggest a mixture of hope and humility. The dog, poised on its hind legs, adds a note of loyalty, reinforcing the theme of familial bonds restored after separation.

Technique & Style

Executed in oil, the painting employs a limited palette of dark tones punctuated by the warm glow from the doorway, creating a chiaroscuro effect that focuses attention on the figures. Millais’s handling of detail, particularly in the textures of the kilt, coat, and shawl, signals his gradual shift from the highly detailed medievalism of early Pre‑Raphaelism toward a more naturalistic approach.

History & Provenance

First shown at the Royal Academy in 1853, The Order of Release marks a transitional point in Millais’s career as he began moving away from the strict medieval aesthetic of his early Pre‑Raphaelite period. The female model was Effie Gray, who later left John Ruskin and married Millais, adding a personal dimension to the work’s historical narrative.

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Artist & collection

Artist

John Everett Millais

Sir John Everett Millais, 1st Baronet ( MIL-ay; 8 June 1829 – 13 August 1896) was an English painter and illustrator who was one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.