John Everett Millais
John Everett Millais was an English painter and illustrator who was one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. He was a child prodigy who, aged eleven, became the youngest student to enter the Royal Academy Schools.
He was commissioned by writer and art collector Walter Armstrong to paint this portrait, which features Armstrong’s daughters Elizabeth, Diana, and Mary. Armstrong hoped the painting would elevate his family's social standing. The card game depicted, along with the title of the work, subtly hints at the competition over who would marry first—an important consideration for women of their social class at the time. This painting portrays the societal structures and expectations of the period as a game that these women have adeptly learned to navigate.
P.S. Do you know what's Millais' most famous (and most beautiful) masterpiece? This painting is not only powerful but also extremely dramatic! Here's the answer.