 |
| The Lady of Shalott. Painted 1888 |
However unfashionable, I think it's time for a re-evaluation of some of this kind of painting.
Taking The Lady of Shalott at face-value, the thing that strikes me initially is - it is beautiful and radiates calm and peacefulness. In reality the story is nothing like that - she is about to drown herself. (See 'Ophelia' painted by Millais in 1852), a probable source of inspiration for this work.
- The characteristics of Pre-Raphaelite painting (and literature) are a directness and attention to detail and realism in a way that was last known before Raphael at the time of the High Renaissance. There was also a strong tendency towards medievalism as typified by this painting.
- The Lady of Shallot was depicted as one of the characters in the Arthurian legends with the Knights of The Round Table.
17 comments:
This is a lovely painting. I've always liked the old pre-raffs! Wish my hair was as long as hers.
joanne: Well her hair looks a bit 'flyaway' but if she is about to drown herself I don't suppose she cares.
From the wine cellar of Sir Tom Eagerly:
Well Bazza old thing she certainly looks like a bit of a beauty bur alas I reckon she would be about 200 by now. A little aged even for Sir Tom. Bottoms up!
Sir Tom: 200? I'd have thought she would be a perfect match for you. What will Lady Eagerly think:
I am a layman of panting, but I think this one is nice, for its mixture of colours, the arrange of light and shadow as well as the expression of the girl, am I right?
I like to take paintings at face value and just let them impress themselves on my visual senses, so the beauty and serenity is my take-away. I also love the technical proficiency - deep envy!
oh, this is beautiful... the details are extraordinary... i too am envious of an artistic eye that sees this deeply into things and can bring that sight into form...
(and now i am sidetracked off on a tangent because i can't help but be amused reading the first two comments... my hair is that long, and many days it is that "flyaway"!
... and i'm not sure what it means that i don't much care... i kind of like it that way... wild, silver, and very long ... all the ways women are told their hair shouldn't be :)
Chinatours: Hello again. Of course you are 'right!' because there is no right and wrong. Art appreciation is very subjective so your own opinion is as valid as any other. I did Art History as part of my degree so I have a lot of historical and technical knowledge but that does not make me an expert!
Botanist: Exactly! You express very well the right way to view art in my opinion. Sometimes a viewer can see something in a picture that even the artist did not realise was there.
joanne: The detail is amazing. If you double-click the picture it becomes truly remarkable. Even the sadness in her eyes becomes apparent.
And as for the hair.....
Hi Bazza,
I'm feeling a bit Victorian, so I greatly, and I mean greatly appreciate this art. I share the artist envy with the rest of your readers too. Thanks for writing up this post. I loved the visual journey.
Hello bazza,
Well, looking at it from just an angle of appreciation, I rather like the painting.
Cheerio, old bean, and thank you for sharing...
Dear bazza,
Once again, a lovely painting to look at!
I was familiar with Tennyson's poem, but not this picture. Thanks for furthering my education, bazza, as you always seem to do.
Regards,
David.
Snee: Hi there. You referred to aches and pains in your other comment. Have you been unwell - I must have missed something!
Feeling Victorian, eh? I'm not sure if that's good or bad, but happy that you like this lovely picture.
Gary: That's the way to look at it. Enjoy!
David: Professor Bazza is happy to help out!
I believe the PRB were very keen on poetry and also had links with the Oxford Movement. Didn't they have a belief that art should bring about social change?
Thanks for posting this Bazza.
Hello Rob, it's always good to hear from you.
I am unaware of their link to the Oxford Movement; wasn't their aim to re-instate Catholicism or to reunite it with Anglicism?
I think William Morris and the Arts & Crafts movement had more to do with social change but I'm uncertain.
Post a Comment