Lovers under a Tree

Executed in graphite, the work demonstrates Millais's early skill with line and form, foreshadowing the Pre-Raphaelite emphasis on naturalistic representation.

Millais was just eleven years old when he created this drawing, making him the youngest student to be admitted to the Royal Academy Schools at the time.

This work predates Millais's involvement with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, which he co-founded, and reflects his early training and artistic inclinations.