Skip navigation
Tate Logo
Shop
Become a Member

Main menu

  • Art and artists
    • Our collection
      Artists
      Artworks
      Art by theme
      Explore
      Videos
      Podcasts
      Short articles
      In depth
      Art Terms
      Tate Research
      Student resources
      Make art
      Create like an artist
      Kids art activities
      Tate Draw game
  • What's on
  • Plan your visit

Main menu additional

  • Shop
  • Become a Member
Expand
  • Art and Artists
  • Artworks
  • The Boyhood of Raleigh

Sir John Everett Millais, Bt

The Boyhood of Raleigh

1870

Image released under Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND (3.0 Unported)

License this image

Not on display

Artist
Sir John Everett Millais, Bt 1829–1896
Medium
Oil paint on canvas
Dimensions
Support: 1206 × 1422 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Presented by Amy, Lady Tate in memory of Sir Henry Tate 1900
Reference
N01691

Display caption

Sir Walter Raleigh was one of the most celebrated explorers of the Elizabethan age. In Millais’s famous painting he is shown as a boy listening with rapt attention to ‘tales of wonder on sea and land’ told by a Genoese sailor. The toy ship in the foreground suggests Raleigh’s future adventures, while the sharp edge of an anchor on the right may allude to the final words he uttered at his execution: ‘Strike, man, strike’.

Gallery label, November 2016

Does this text contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? We would like to hear from you.

Read more

Explore

  • architecture(30,960)
    • townscapes / man-made features(21,603)
      • wall(626)
  • emotions, concepts and ideas(16,416)
    • emotions and human qualities(5,345)
      • contemplation(141)
  • history(5,776)
    • politics and society(2,337)
      • exploration: Elizabethan, c.1560(1)
  • leisure and pastimes(3,435)
    • recreational activities(2,836)
      • story telling(7)
  • objects(23,571)
    • clothing and personal items(5,879)
      • hat(1,437)
    • toys and models(384)
      • boat(25)
  • people(22,072)
    • actions: expressive(2,622)
      • pointing(185)
      • talking(602)
    • actions: postures and motions(9,111)
      • head in hand / hands(278)
      • sitting(3,347)
    • adults(20,120)
      • man(10,453)
    • children(2,479)
      • boy(1,153)
    • named individuals(12,887)
      • Millais, George(1)
      • Raleigh, Walter, Sir(2)
    • portraits(4,491)
      • individuals: male(1,841)
  • places(26,467)
    • UK counties(19,585)
      • Devon(648)
    • UK countries and regions(24,355)
      • England(19,202)
      • England, South West(3,507)
      • England, Southern(8,982)
  • society(15,153)
    • family(602)
      • brother(619)
    • nationality(18,601)
      • Genoese(1)
    • transport: water(8,015)
      • anchor(61)
  • work and occupations(5,453)
    • trading and commercial(1,154)
      • sailor(121)

You might like

Left Right
  • Sir John Everett Millais, Bt The Yeoman of the Guard

    1876
  • Sir John Everett Millais, Bt Ophelia

    1851–2
    On display at Tate Britain part of Historic and Modern British Art
  • Sir John Everett Millais, Bt The Vale of Rest

    1858–9
    On display at Tate Britain part of Historic and Modern British Art
  • Sir John Everett Millais, Bt The Knight Errant

    1870
  • Sir John Everett Millais, Bt The North-West Passage

    1874
    On display at Tate Britain part of Historic and Modern British Art
  • Sir John Everett Millais, Bt Mercy: St Bartholomew’s Day, 1572

    1886
  • Sir John Everett Millais, Bt The Order of Release 1746

    1852–3
  • Sir John Everett Millais, Bt Charles I and his Son in the Studio of Van Dyck

    1849
  • Sir John Everett Millais, Bt Sir Henry Thompson, Bt

    1881
  • Sir John Everett Millais, Bt Miss Anne Ryan

    date not known
  • Sir John Everett Millais, Bt Miss Eveleen Tennant

    1874
  • Sir John Everett Millais, Bt Mrs Bischoffsheim

    1873
  • Sir John Everett Millais, Bt ‘The Moon is Up, and Yet it is not Night’

    1890
  • Sir John Everett Millais, Bt Hearts are Trumps

    1872
  • Sir John Everett Millais, Bt Dew-Drenched Furze

    1889–90

In the shop

Browse the shop
Close

Join in

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
Sign up to emails

Sign up to emails

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Tate’s privacy policy

About

  • About us
  • Our collection
  • Terms and copyright
  • Governance
  • Picture library
  • ARTIST ROOMS
  • Tate Kids

Support

  • Tate Collective
  • Members
  • Patrons
  • Donate
  • Corporate
  • My account
  • Press
  • Jobs
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Contact