Bubbles, originally entitled A Child's World, is a painting by John Everett Millais that became famous when it was used over many generations in advertisments for Pears soap. During Millais's lifetime it led to widespread debate about the relationship between art and advertising. Sir John Everett Millais Sir John Everett Millais, 1st Baronet, PRA (June 8, 1829 – August 13, 1896) was a British painter and illustrator who was one of founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. ... Mona Lisa, Oil on wood panel painting by Leonardo da Vinci. ... Sunlight Soap magnate William Hesketh Lever, the first Lord Leverhulme, founded the Lady Lever Art Gallery in 1922 and dedicated it to the memory of his wife. ... Port Sunlight Port Sunlight is a village on the Wirral (in the North West of England). ... Sir John Everett Millais Sir John Everett Millais, 1st Baronet, PRA (June 8, 1829 – August 13, 1896) was a British painter and illustrator who was one of founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. ...

The painting was one of many child pictures for which Millais had become well known in his later years. It was modelled by his five year old grandson William Milbourne James and was based on 17th century Dutch precursors in the tradition of vanitas imagery, which commented upon the transience of life. These sometimes depicted young boys blowing bubbles, typically set against skulls and other signs of death.^[1] Vanitas, by Pieter Claesz This article is about the fine art genre. ...

The painting portrays a young golden-haired boy looking up at a bubble, symbolising the beauty and fragility of life. On one side of him is a young plant growing in a pot, and on the other is a fallen broken pot, emblematic of death. He is spot-lit against a gloomy background.

The painting was first exhibited in 1886 under the title A Child's World in Grosvenor Gallery in London, and was acquired by Sir William Ingram of the Illustrated London News. The painting was reproduced and presented in the magazine as a colour plate, where it was seen by William Barratt, managing director of A&F Pears. Barratt purchased the original painting from Ingram for £2,200 which gave him exclusive copyright on the picture. Millais' permission was sought in order to alter the picture by the addition of a bar of Pears Soap, so that it could be used for the purposes of advertising. At the time Millais was one of the most popular artists in Britain and he was initially apprehensive the prospect of his work and his grandson, being the subject of commercial exploitation. However when he was shown the proofs of the proposed advertisements he grew to appreciate the idea, which portrayed the soap as if the child had used it to make the bubbles.^[2] Following the success of this advertisment Millais was attacked in print by the novelist Marie Corelli who accused him in her novel The Sorrows of Satan of prostituting his talent to sell soap. Millais wrote to her pointing out that he had sold the copyright of the painting and so was unable to stop the company from altering it in reproduction. Millais's son later claimed that he had tried to stop the advertisement being made, but had been advised that he had no legal power to do so. Corelli retracted her comments in a later edition of the book. The Grosvenor Gallery is an art gallery founded in London in 1877 by Sir Coutts Lindsay. ... The Illustrated London News was a magazine founded by Herbert Ingram and his friend Mark Lemon, the editor of Punch magazine. ... Marie Corelli (May 1, 1855 - April 21, 1924), was a British novelist. ...

The advertisement became so well known that William James, who later rose to the rank of Admiral in the British navy, was known as "Bubbles" for the rest of his life.

Since A&F Pears was acquired by Lever Brothers, the painting has been in their ownership. It was lent to the Royal Academy, but was transferred to the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight in 2006.^[1] The British manufacturer Lever Brothers was founded in 1885 by William Hesketh Lever (later Lord Leverhulme) and his brother James. ... This article refers to an art institution in London. ... Sunlight Soap magnate William Hesketh Lever, the first Lord Leverhulme, founded the Lady Lever Art Gallery in 1922 and dedicated it to the memory of his wife. ... Port Sunlight Port Sunlight is a village on the Wirral (in the North West of England). ...

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Lady Lever Art Gallery: Artwork of the Month - August, 2006, 'Bubbles', by Sir John Everett Millais
2. ^ Bubbles painting on display