Attributed Francis Davis Millet (American, 1846-1912), Sketch of Hands Holding a Chalice

Oil on canvas, unsigned, inscribed with artist attribution to mat, unframed.

15 x 19 3/4 in.

Francis Davis Millet was an American painter, sculptor, and writer born in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts. He served in the Civil War as a drummer and surgical assistant before earning a degree from Harvard and continuing his studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, where he won gold and silver medals. Millet became known for his murals, including those at Boston’s Trinity Church, and later played key roles in organizing major art exhibitions such as the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Beyond painting, he worked as a journalist and war correspondent, and he also published essays, fiction, and translations of Russian literature.

Respected among artists and cultural leaders, Millet served as secretary of the American Academy in Rome and held positions at institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. His career was cut short when he died in the sinking of the RMS Titanic.

Hinge mounted to a backing, loose canvas with creasing, wear to canvas edge.