When: closing July 21, 2019
It was a slow museum week for me; between lunch plans, bad weather and press of work, I only made it to one show. I'm hoping to do better next week.
The exhibit I saw was on American pre-Raphaelites at the National Gallery. I was, of course, reminded of the major pre-Raphaelite show I saw there several years ago - this is much smaller.
American pre-Raphaelites were strongly influenced by the English artist, John Ruskin. They ventured out to record the natural world as they saw it - blemishes and all. Their work was highly detailed and brightly colored and working outdoors was a laborious process.
They were also quite progressive in their thinking; they were abolitionists at a time when not everyone thought slavery was wrong. The idea of painting nature without "improving" upon it was a radical notion, but one to which they were dedicated.
I thought the nature pieces in the show were lovely and the colors were stunning. Once people make their way into the scene, however, I found the works a bit maudlin. Perhaps this is merely Victorian sensibility, but I find it wearying. My favorite piece was "Path in the Woods" by William Trost Richards, which reminded me of an illustration of the Hundred Acre Wood, from the Winnie the Pooh books.
Verdict: If you are a fan of pre-Raphaelites, make time for this show.
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