Parodies of Old Masters 

Sir John Everett Millais made this pen and ink drawing, "Parodies of Old Masters," sometime in the 19th century. It is a fascinating example of how artists engage with the artistic traditions of the past. Millais, a prominent figure in the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in England, here critiques and playfully reinterprets the works of revered masters. By creating parodies, Millais questions the very notion of artistic genius and the institutions that uphold it. He seems to ask: who gets to decide what is considered "good" art? And what happens when we challenge those established norms? To fully understand Millais's intent, we can delve into the art criticism of Victorian England. Researching the writings of John Ruskin, a champion of the Pre-Raphaelites, for example, would reveal the artistic and social debates that shaped Millais's work. This drawing encourages us to think critically about the institutions that shape our understanding of art and culture.