Victorian art hangs in galleries around the world.
The Victorian era in Britain stretched from Queen Victoria's ascension to the throne in 1837 to her death in 1901. The art styles of the period ranged from the later years of Romanticism to the Impressionist and Post-impressionist style, before the arrival of Fauvism and Expressionism. The unique style of the Pre-Raphaelites is one of the most popular and memorable of the Victorian art styles.
Romanticism
Some artists had a romantic attitude toward nature.
Although true English romanticism began as far back as the 1750s with Gainsborough, J.M.W. Turner began painting his romantic landscapes in the Victorian years of the 1840s, such as his "Steamboat in a Snowstorm." With his "Approach to Venice," in 1843, Turner's use of light romanticized his landscapes and verged on impressionism.
The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood
Pre-Raphaelite artists used bright, garish color.
One of the most famous art movements of the Victorian age was the group of English artists know as the Pre-Raphaelites. Originally a secret group, their style was a reaction against the "frivolous art of the day," according to Sister Wendy's "Story of Painting." Their aim was to paint in a more natural style, from direct observation. The seven painters who comprised the movement, were in direct opposition to Raphael's more theatrical style of art during the Renaissance, and wished to recapture a previous style.
The brotherhood's romantic and religious subject matter, painted in such a realistic style, outraged the art world until after the 1850s. Shakespeare's plays were a huge source of inspiration for many of the Victorian artists, especially the Pre-Raphaelites. A famous example is "Ophelia" by Sir John Everett Millais in 1851. The Pre-Raphaelites' work differed from other artists in their use of bright color painted directly onto a canvas prepared with white paint. Sir William Holman Hunt's painting of 1852, "On English Coasts," is full of strong, bright color.
Impressionism
The impressionist art style has remained one of the most popular.
The great age of impressionism began around the middle of the Victorian era and was particularly famous amongst French artists. The American artist, James Whistler eventually moved to London and used a combination of the Realist and Impressionist art styles to create his own original paintings. His "Nocturne in Blue and Gold: Old Battersea Bridge" was painted in between 1872 and 1875.
Post-Impressionism
Post-impressionism was a late Victorian art style.
Roughly covering the Victorian period from 1886, to the early 20th century, Post-Impressionist artists employed a diverse style that relied on an objective view of the world and how they felt about it. Vincent van Gogh used a variety of colours to try and convey emotions in his paintings. "The Artist's Bedroom," 1889, contains two chairs near the bed, as though he awaited the arrival of a friend. His "Self-portrait" of 1889 hints at his unhappiness, while his chaotic emotions are depicted in the swirling blue paint strokes.
