'The Rescue' by
Millais (1855).
This painting is in the National Gallery of Victoria, Australia.
Apparently, Millais
considered this to be his best painting and John Ruskin referred
to it
as the only truly great work exhibited at the Royal Academy
in 1855.
Below is a letter
from Millais to Jeanie Senior, which refers to Walter Nassau
Senior, her son, as
a 'stalwart boy'. This implies that Millais knew of or had
actually met Walter previously. The meeting
may have consisted of Walter posing for this picture as the boy
being carried by the fireman. The boy in
the picture looks remarkably like a bust of Walter at about the
same age, even down to the hairstyle.
A bust of Walter Nassau Senior (1850-1933) by his mother, Jane Elizabeth Senior.
