Victorian Art in Britain

What's On

Some Current Exhibitions

Victorian Dreamers

An Exhibition At

The National Museum of Wales in Cardiff

 

My Visit on 15 November 2005

I had recently read of an exhibition at the above gallery called Victorian Dreamers and decided to visit and have a look. What follows is my review.

The exhibition shows pictures originally purchased by prosperous Welsh collectors in the second half of the nineteenth century. One of the most important of these collectors was William Menalous (1818-1882), Managing Partner of the vast Guest ironworks at Dowlais, near Merthyr Tydfil, who bequeathed many of his pictures to the form the basis of the Welsh National collection. Sir William Goscombe John, the sculptor (1860-1950), was another generous contributor to the collections.

There were a number of pictures on display by Rossetti, including “Fair Rosamund,” an oil painting from 1862, in which sitter was Fanny Cornforth. This is very much in his later manner in its deep rich colour, its half length format, and claustrophobic atmosphere. Nearby was “Ligeia Siren,” an impressive female warrior, in coloured chalks on paper, modelled from a housemaid at Kelmscott Manor. Close by was an oil study for “The Wheel of Fortune,” by Burne Jones In the same section of the exhibition was a study in a variety of media for “The Last Sleep of Arthur in Avalon,” Burne-Jones’s magnum opus now in the Museum of Art, Ponce, Puerto Rica. The study is in a variety of media - watercolour, white chalk, gouache, and gold paint, on brown paper. This work was obviously an aid to planning the layout and proportions of this vast picture. Adjacent to it was another study, by the same artist for “The Wheel of Fortune” this being in oil.

A preparatory work for “Fair Rosamund” by J W Waterhouse was also in this section of the exhibition. This study dated from 1916, the penultimate year of the painter’s life, and showed the meticulous planning still undertaken by the elderly and ailing artist. My attention was next drawn to one of the remarkable pictures in coloured chalks by Frederic Sandys, called “Mater Dolorosa.” This work was notable for its muted and subtle colouring. Its superb quality and draughtsmanship must also be mentioned. Next was a study of a single standing female nude by Albert Joseph Moore “A Yellow Room” in watercolour and body colour. Also by this great aesthetic painter was “The Sofa” a smallish picture of two girls asleep on a sofa. To say, like I have, that it is a subject picture is, of course, nonsense. It is a harmoniously coloured, beautifully executed, aesthetically pleasing image. All round the frame are the anthemions Moore used as his signature, something I have not seen on any other work of his.

At the end of this gallery was hung a large picture by Lord Leighton “Invocation” (1889), which a gallery attendant told me was very much in favour with women visiting the show. One can only compliment them on their taste. The single standing female figure is standing against a background of classical architecture. The woman is seeking inspiration from the god of dance and song Terpsichore. The large size of the figure relative to the whole picture, her translucent draperies in white, and rapt expression seem to project her out of the frame into the gallery. Two pictures by Holman Hunt feature in the exhibition. One is “Honest Labour has a Comely Face” a small portrait of his younger, and favourite sister Emily (1836-1921), showing her in a brown dress, against a background of the same colour. The vivid portrayal of her face and the ease with which her charming personality is captured by the artist remind us that Hunt could have been a successful portrait painter had he wished.

At this point came “The Hedger” (1860) an early and striking picture by John Brett. This work was intended by the artist as a sequel to “The Stonebreakers” which had been lavishly praised by Ruskin. It was painted in Kent in the Spring, and shows the hedger’s daughter bringing him his lunch. The vivid colours of the burgeoning greenery are very striking, and the effect of the whole picture is harmonious and vivid. Not next in the layout of the exhibition, but of much interest was the small drawing of Sophy Margaret Gray, by Millais. This small immaculate drawing, in pencil, brush, and brown wash is dated 1854, and is proof, were it needed, of the superb draughtsmanship of the painter. Sophy was a younger sister of the painter’s wife Effie, and a great favourite of his. Unfortunately she had an unhappy and tragic life (1843-1882), and seems to have had a serious mental breakdown in adulthood, and an unhappy marriage. Millais painted a charming portrait of her daughter Beatrix Caird in 1879. Unhappily Beatrix died at the age of fourteen in 1888, and is buried with her mother in Brompton Cemetery in London.

There was a large landscape by G F Watts “Carrara Mountains, a most striking image unique to the painter - from across the gallery it was obviously his work. The latter part of the exhibition featured a number of other landscapes. Including a vast, vivid coastal scene by John Brett, two pictures by Inchbold, and a number by Charles Napier Hemy. I greatly enjoyed “Streatley Mill at Sunset” by George Price Boyce who was a considerable painter of landscapes in watercolour. The mill is shown under a warm, glowing, sunset sky, reminding this writer of the work of Frederick Walker. The picture is what would have been called at the time ”poetic.”

 

This is a most interesting exhibition, with well selected, interesting striking pictures, many of which come from private collections. The National Gallery of Wales is to be complimented on putting it on, and on its quality and presentation. Admission is free. I strongly recommend anyone interested to go and see it. The exhibition closes on January 8, 2006.

17 November 2005


 Love Revealed - Simeon Solomon and the Pre-Raphaelites  

Birmingham City Art Gallery  

The Gas Hall, Chamberlain Square. Birmingham

 

My Visit 13 October 2005

This year marks the centenary of the death of that most unusual, and unfortunate of artists, Simeon Solomon. The work of Solomon is long overdue a re-evaluation, and to be placed in the artistic context of his times, and the exhibition certainly attempts to do this.

Simeon Solomon was born to a prosperous Jewish family in 1840, and seems to have shown a precocious interest in art. The first part of the exhibition was entitled “Singular Young Genius,” a quote from William Michael Rossetti (1829-1919), younger brother of the painter/poet Dante Gabriel, and the poet Christina Rossetti. This section consists largely of pencil drawings, mainly undated, and often on Old Testament themes. Two pen and sepia ink drawings, with wash over pencil, dating from his twentieth year, show a sudden development into artistic maturity, as does the “hard edged spiky” (quote from exhibition notes), “First Anniversary of the Death of Beatrice,” which in both style and subject shows the influence of Rossetti. The “Prodigal Son” of 1857 is the earliest oil on show. Two pencil studies for the heads of Jochabed and Miriam, dated 1859, were refined and fastidious to a surprising degree.

In another section of the exhibition was an oil “A Young Musician In The Temple Service During the Feast of the Tabernacle”, dated 1861, which shows further evidence of artistic maturity. The musician is shown half length and in profile, with the dark rich colours, and concentration of the subject producing a wonderfully intense impression. He did not, I feel, ever improve on this picture. I did not know prior to this visit that Solomon was friendly, in the 1860s, with Albert Joseph Moore (1841-1893 leading aesthetic painter), who was his junior by a year. Incidentally one of Moore’s pictures of lone standing young women was included in the show. This painting, “Sapphires,” was well lit, and hung at a reasonable height, a welcome, if temporary, change from its usual insensitive hanging in the Round Room. It is to be hoped that this showing of a great picture to its fullest advantage is noted by curatorial staff at BMAG, and that a permanent improvement is made when it is returned to general exhibition. “The Child Jeremiah” showing God speaking to the prophet, has much in common with the “Young Musician” mentioned above. The figure is also shown in profile, and the intensity of the facial expression, and dark rich colouring create another unforgettable effect. A wonderful picture. Further on is a pencil drawing “Study of Sappho,” 1862, which is another highly accomplished work, with, perhaps, covert reference to the painter’s own sexuality. The watercolour “Girl at a Fountain,” 1865 has lovely colours, and a background of greenery. The girl herself, half turned towards the viewer, is well done, and the whole impression, in its claustrophobic atmosphere, rich colours, and lone female subject shows the influence of the later pictures of Rossetti. Further works by contemporary artists include “A Herald of Spring” by Walter Crane (1845-1915) , dated 1872, and painted in tempera and body colour. Close by is the “Figure of a Lady” by Sandys (Anthony Frederick Sandys 1829-1904), one of his greatest portraits in coloured chalks - a masterpiece - the sitter being the actress Mary Jones, his lover, and mother of his small army of illegitimate children. The bohemianism and financial ruin of Sandys has certain parallels with the life of Solomon, who unhappily fell even further.

Throughout the artistic life of Solomon, religious subjects, and symbolism continued to fascinate him, and in his maturity this was not exclusively with Judaism. Roman Catholicism, and High Church Anglicanism ritual also feature in his pictures. Very much in the same idiom as “Young Jeremiah” and “A Young Musician” is “A Deacon” of 1865, a depiction of Roman Catholic or High Anglican ritual. The young Deacon is holding a vessel containing sacrament, prior to the Mass. This is another of the artist’s vivid and intense portrayal of religious ritual. It uses dark, rich colouring again, and uses a view of the Deacon in profile to create another overwhelmingly powerful impression. A work of genius.

In 1871, Solomon was convicted of an “Act of gross indecency” in a public lavatory. This resulted in his ostracism by his family and the artistic community. The prevailing hostility to homosexuality was so powerful that none of his fellow artists was prepared to risk associating with him. Following this, the artist still produced some good work particularly in the 1870s. In later years extreme poverty and alcoholism took a severe toll on his abilities. He lived much of his life in the St Giles Workhouse, Holborn, and often worked as a pavement artist. Right at the end of the exhibition is “The Moon and Sleep”,1888, two androgynous figures, in vivid colours, and with a rather soft focus finish, which is a feature of much of his later work.

This is a thoughtful, well - presented exhibition, a worthy tribute to a fascinating and tragic figure. It made a powerful impression on this writer, and will continue to do so for some time to come. On this occasion the staff of Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery responsible for this exhibition are to be congratulated.

PHR 16 October 2005

Waking Dreams  

The Art of the Pre-Raphaelites from the Delaware Art Museum at  Nottingham Castle

25th June to 4th September

My Visit 5 July 2005

These pictures were purchased by the famous American collector Samuel Bancroft in the 19 th century, often direct from the artists. They have not been seen in this country, therefore, for over one hundred years. I decided to make the effort to see this exhibition, and am very pleased that I did so. The exhibition was shown in three galleries in which, due to the fragility of some of the exhibits the light was very subdued.

In the first room a number of most interesting pictures were shown. There was a small watercolour of Elizabeth Siddall, painted by Rossetti in 1854 at the height of their relationship. Also by the same painter was a portrait of Frederick Leyland, the shipping magnate, and great art collector who lived from 1831 - 1892. The painting was in pastel on board, and the strong and controversial nature of the sitter was apparent even in this medium. Close by were two delectable small watercolours by Walter Crane, both painted in 1893. One of the two “The Moat and Bishop’s Palace” painted in Wells was just a delight. Also in evidence was a portrait by G F Watts of Miss Eveleen Tennant, a society beauty of the day who also sat for Millais. The sitter, whose face is softly and delicately painted, is wearing a striking deep red dress, a colour repeated in the flowers behind her. This portrait does not have the immediacy of that by Millais, but is perhaps a more subtle image. There are two small pictures by Winifred Sandys (1875-1944) a daughter of Frederick. One was “Love in a Mist” in coloured pencil dating from 1908, and the other “the White Maid of Avenel” from around the same date, gouache and watercolour on vellum, which is more derivative of her father. It is a charming little picture, and Winifred had inherited her father’s gifted draughtsmanship. Perhaps with better-timing, and more opportunities for women she could have had a distinguished artistic career. Also in this room was “The Prioresses Tale” by Burne-Jones. The idea for the picture seems to have entered the artist’s mind in the mid 1860s, but was finally completed in 1898 just before his death, and was exhibited in the New Gallery that year.

In the second room there was even more to see. There were a number of pictures by Marie Spartali Stillman 1843-1927 a member of the prosperous and artistic Anglo-Greek community, and herself a painter of some merit. There was her self portrait in white chalk on paper, which I have seen reproduced often. Close by this was a picture in coloured chalks by Frederick Sandys called “Reflections.” The sitter was Emma Jones, the actress, and mother of a small army of children by the painter. Sandys expertise as a draughtsman, and the brilliance of his pictures in coloured chalks is well-known. This one though is very untypical, as he used textured paper, and it lacks the precision and finish of his usual work in this medium, but is, perhaps, more atmospheric. Whether the difference was due to the artist working for his own pleasure, or not wishing to commit too much time to the picture we cannot know. Nearby by this was a female head in coloured chalks by Simeon Solomon. The title of this picture is “Leonora D’ Este and it dates from 1894, long after the unhappy Solomon’s fall from grace. It is ethereal, haunting, brilliant, and I loved it. It shows the trite judgements that he was producing nothing of real merit by this date to be nonsense. The Burne-Jones work “Cupid’s Hunting Fields” is highly unusual, being painted in oils and gold leaf on gesso relief. The image is most striking, and it is easy to see why it appealed to its purchaser.

There is in this gallery a small, but spectacular female head by Millais dating from 1854, in his initial Pre-Raphaelite period. The sitter was either the painter’s wife or one of her younger sisters. In its ornate gold frame this small, perfect portrait creates a strong impression, and was alone worth the effort of making the visit. Also in the gallery was a drawing in coloured chalks by Frederic Shields (!833-1911). This drawing, made at the request of William Michael Rossetti, is entitled “The Dead Rossetti“ and shows the artist on his deathbed in 1882, at Westcliff Bungalow, at Birchington-on-Sea. This drawing has much historic significance, but is also a remarkable record of the appearance of the dead painter. Close by hung a small picture “The Green Butterfly” by Albert Joseph Moore, in oils on wood, a fastidious aesthetic image, of the type the artist produced on many occasions. From this repetition came the unique beauty, and integration of colour that this great painter was able to produce in his pictures. Also of interest was a study by Burne-Jones of a female head, in watercolour and body colour. I immediately recognised this as a study for his celebrated picture “The Beguiling of Merlin.” It is in itself a powerful image, and was modelled by Maria Zambaco, the painter’s muse and mistress.

There were also a number of engravings by Frederic Sandys, which showed, once again his remarkable draughtsmanship. Next to them were three of Rossetti’s humorous drawings, bought from Fanny Cornforth, and all caricatures of her as “the funny old elephant.” Perhaps if Rossetti had stayed with the earthy, coarse, and worldly Fanny Cornforth, his problems would not have overwhelmed him, he would have lived longer, been happier - but would we have had the sumptuous late pictures?

One of the most striking of these sumptuous pictures in room three is “Lady Lillith,” one of the half length images of women, in ornate claustrophobic backgrounds which were such a feature of Rossetti’s later career. Also in this gallery was the “The Council Chamber” by Burne Jones, the second (I think of the Briar Rose series), quite simply a masterpiece. The most memorable image in this room is, paradoxically, unfinished, and not a masterpiece. It was Rossetti’s only attempt at a Pre-Raphaelite picture with a moral message. The picture called “Found” shows a drover going to market with a calf in his cart. The drover, in his smock and gaiters, has seen his former love, now a “fallen woman,” on her way home in the early morning. He lifts her up as she cowers in shame. An important picture I never expected to see in this country.

I was enormously impressed with this exhibition. It must have been a major operation to put it together, and to ship so many pictures of such fragility to Nottingham, and we should be grateful to our American friends at Delaware for allowing us to see their Pre-Raphaelite treasures.

It is difficult and expensive to park nearby. The Exhibition is not well sign posted within Nottingham Castle.

This exhibition is well worth the visit. Any enthusiast of nineteenth century, and Pre-Raphaelite art should not miss it.

 

 

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

A Love Revealed Simeon Solomon and The Pre-Raphaelites

I do not yet have much detail regarding this exhibition, though I expect it will be well worth a visit. I also understand that it will tour the United States following the initial showing in Birmingham. Perhaps this exhibition will constitute some an apology for the abysmal job the gallery makes of displaying its important collections of Victorian art.

From 1 October 2005 until 15 January 2006.

Please note : This information is provided by others and we can accept no responsibility for errors or changes so please check with the venue before making a journey of any distance to see the above exhibitions.