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Student Artwork Guide

Sir William Rose

John Maler Collier

Name Class Date
John Maler Collier, Sir William Rose. Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist
John Maler Collier originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/john-maler-collier/
Artist’s dates
1850 – 1934
Movement
Pre-Raphaelite British painters returning to bright colour and sharp detail, rejecting everything taught after Raphael.

Copyright This work is in the public domain. John Maler Collier died in 1934; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 2004.

Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Oct. 5, 2026

Sir William Rose — John Maler Collier Part 1 · The artwork

In context

Sir William Rose — John Maler Collier

When might this have been painted?

  1. 1850
  2. 1860
  3. 1870
  4. 1880
  5. 1890
  6. 1900
  7. 1910
  8. 1920
  9. 1930

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 84 at death.

Shaded: the lifetime of John Maler Collier (1850–1934) every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1891 Main working years: 1891–1909 Late works: from 1909

Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them

This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?

Compare with

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/john-maler-collier-sir-william-rose-8YDUYF-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Phthalo Green #1d1c21

    Catalogued palette

    • #1D1C21
    • #CECBC3
    • #62524B
    • #A19285

    These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

    Main colour name
    Phthalo Green
    Intensity
    Monochromatic How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Statement How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Discordant Palette How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Deep_shadow How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Muted How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Where in the world is this painting looked at?

    • under 1%
    • 1–3%
    • 3–8%
    • 8–20%
    • 20% and over
    This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by John Maler Collier over the last twelve months — 6 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 China 66.7%
    2. 2 Singapore 12.5%
    3. 3 Romania 8.3%
    4. 4 France 4.2%
    5. 5 Hong Kong 4.2%
    6. 6 Ukraine 4.2%

    Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

    The 20 most looked-at works by John Maler Collier

    1. 1 Queen Guinevre's Maying, 1897 12.5%
    2. 2 Godiva, 1898 12.5%
    3. 3 Portrait of Laura Mary Stapleton, 1882 9.4%
    4. 4 Stepping Stones: Pamela, 1929 9.4%
    5. 5 The Priestess of Bacchus, 1885 6.2%
    6. 6 Sir George Williams, 1887 6.2%
    7. 7 Portrait of Colonel Rowland John Beech 6.2%
    8. 8 Sir Edward Augustus Inglefield, 1897 3.1%
    9. 9 Priestess of Delphi, 1891 3.1%
    10. 10 Sir Ughtred Kay-Shuttleworth, 1884 3.1%
    11. 11 The Prodigal Daughter, 1903 3.1%
    12. 12 Sir Charles Hall, Recorder of London, 1895 3.1%
    13. 13 Portrait of James Prescott Joule, 1882 3.1%
    14. 14 Water Baby, 1890 3.1%
    15. 15 Spring 3.1%
    16. 16 Sir Frederick George Banbury, 1920 3.1%
    17. 17 A Street in Jerusalem 3.1%
    18. 18 Portrait of Mrs H. C. Marillier 3.1%
    19. 19 Portrait of Edward Henry Hurry 3.1%
    20. — Sir William Rose this painting 0.0%

    Together these works take 99.6% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 82 works by this artist, of which 19 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month

    Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

    Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Oct. 5, 2026

    Sir William Rose — John Maler Collier Part 2 · In context

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    John Maler Collier

    Born in London, United Kingdom

    John Maler Collier: A Life in Portraiture

    Born: London, United Kingdom (1850)

    Died: 1934

    John Maler Collier OBE RP ROI was a prominent English artist and author, celebrated as a leading portrait painter of his generation. His artistic style leaned heavily into the Pre-Raphaelite aesthetic, characterized by meticulous detail, vibrant colors, and a focus on narrative storytelling within portraits.

    Early Life and Artistic Training

    Family Background: Collier hailed from a distinguished family. His grandfather was a Quaker merchant and Member of Parliament, while his father served as Attorney General and a judge in the Privy Council. This privileged background afforded him access to education and societal circles that would later influence his artistic career.

    Education: He received his early education at Eton College before pursuing formal art training.

    Formal Studies: Collier studied painting at the Munich Academy starting in 1875, honing his skills under established masters. He also studied in Paris with Jean-Paul Laurens.

    Artistic Style and Major Works

    Pre-Raphaelite Influence: Collier’s work is deeply rooted in the Pre-Raphaelite movement, evident in his attention to detail, rich color palettes, and a tendency towards narrative scenes within portraits.

    Portraiture Focus: He primarily specialized in portraiture, capturing likenesses of prominent figures from various fields including art, science, politics, and royalty.

    Notable Subjects: Collier’s sitters included Charles Darwin, Thomas Henry Huxley (his father-in-law), Rudyard Kipling, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, two Lord Chancellors (Earl of Selborne and Earl of Halsbury), the Speaker of the House of Commons William Gully, and Field Marshal Lord Kitchener.

    Royal Portraits: Significant commissions included portraits of the Duke of York (later King George V) as Master of Trinity House in 1901, and the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII). The latter was displayed at Durbar Hall in Jodhpur, Rajputana.

    "Problem Pictures": Beyond formal portraiture, Collier also created "problem pictures," depicting scenes from everyday life, often showcasing a brighter and fresher style than his more solemn portraits.

    Personal Life and Family Connections

    Marriages to Huxley's Daughters: A defining aspect of Collier’s life was his marriage to two daughters of Thomas Henry Huxley, a renowned scientist and President of the Royal Society. His first wife, Marian (Mady) Huxley, was also an artist.

    Family Legacy: His daughter by his first marriage, Joyce, became a portrait miniaturist. His second son, Sir Laurence Collier, served as the British Ambassador to Norway from 1941-1951.

    Close Ties to Intellectual Circles: Collier maintained close relationships with prominent intellectuals and writers of his time, including Leonard Huxley (Thomas Henry Huxley’s son).

    Legacy and Historical Significance

    Recognition and Awards: Collier was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1920.

    Critical Reception: While initially praised, his work later received mixed reviews. Some critics compared his style to that of Frank Holl due to its solemnity, while others recognized his "strong and surprising sense of color."

    Extensive Record Keeping: Collier meticulously documented his sitters in a handwritten book, providing valuable insight into his career and the individuals he portrayed. This “Sitters Book” is now housed in the Heinz Archive and Library at the National Portrait Gallery.

    Representation in Major Collections: Sixteen of Collier’s paintings are held by the National Portrait Gallery in London, with two residing in the Tate Gallery.

    Where to read more

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for Sir William Rose

    originaluniqueart.com/en/art/download/john-maler-collier-sir-william-rose-8YDUYF-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Collier, John Maler. Sir William Rose. n.d., https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/john-maler-collier-sir-william-rose-8YDUYF-en/
    APA
    Collier, John Maler (n.d.). Sir William Rose [Painting]. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/john-maler-collier-sir-william-rose-8YDUYF-en/
    Chicago
    John Maler Collier. Sir William Rose. n.d. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/john-maler-collier-sir-william-rose-8YDUYF-en/
    Harvard
    Collier, John Maler (n.d.) Sir William Rose. Available at: https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/john-maler-collier-sir-william-rose-8YDUYF-en/

    Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Oct. 5, 2026

    Sir William Rose — John Maler Collier Part 3 · Artist and museum

    Look closely

    Sir William Rose — John Maler Collier

    Look closely

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. How many faces can you find? ____ (our catalogue counts 1 — do you agree?)
    4. Our catalogue files this work under: portrait, victorian era, male figure. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    5. Look back at Sir Ignatius Valentine Chirol (1909), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

    Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Oct. 5, 2026

    Sir William Rose — John Maler Collier Part 4 · Look closely

    Questions & Answers

    How do the colors of "Sir William Rose" relate to each other?

    The color harmony of "Sir William Rose" is recorded as discordant palette.

    Can I see an X-ray view of "Sir William Rose" by John Maler Collier?

    The X-Ray page of "Sir William Rose" by John Maler Collier is an interactive viewer that lets you slide through eleven optical layers of the artwork's image, including an X-ray style view.

    Who sells hand-painted copies of "Sir William Rose" by John Maler Collier?

    Hand-painted copies of "Sir William Rose" by John Maler Collier are sold on this website: a hand-painted oil reproduction on linen canvas, ordered from its Hand-Painted Reproduction page.