Death Crowning Innocence

The beautiful thing about art is personal application. We can talk about the meaning of art, but even through defined "meaning" we all still experience art differently. I love the Victorian Exhibition for that very reason... this art speaks to me. It tells a story. It means something to me.

Death is one of those topic we seem to avoid, even as members of the Church. It's sad. It's difficult. Here, though, Watts shows a merciful Death. Watts portrays Death as a woman, and her dark wings encompass and protect the child. There is something peaceful and serene in how she tenderly supports the head of the child and places a divine halo on the child's head. The child is no sinner, and he should be crowned to glory.

This painting means something... to me.

Speaking candidly, there can be nothing harder for a loving Heavenly Father than to take a child from it's mother. Instead of sending the foreboding messenger of death (as popular culture shows his bony hands and hooded face), God sends a woman, to tenderly take the child and crown it with glory. What better way to show the mercy and love of a Divine Father than to show His compassion and care in the most dreary of circumstances.

Ode to Highland Mary

In the painting of the Betrothal of Robert Burns to Highland Mary, I love the romance their look to each other expresses. That gaze says everything about how in love they are. The poet Robert Burns stands with his hat on the ground and his book of poetry inside the hat. I imagine him reading from his poetry to Mary and her falling more and more for him. Robert Burns even wrote a poem titled "Highland Mary." Here is his love poem to her (thanks Lauren):

Highland Mary

YE banks and braes and streams around
The castle o' Montgomery,
Green be your woods, and fair your flowers,
Your waters never drumlie!
There simmer first unfauld her robes,
And there the langest tarry;
For there I took the last fareweel
O' my sweet Highland Mary.

How sweetly bloom'd the gay green birk,
How rich the hawthorn's blossom,
As underneath their fragrant shade
I clasp'd her to my bosom!
The golden hours on angel wings
Flew o'er me and my dearie;
For dear to me as light and life
Was my sweet Highland Mary.

Wi' monie a vow and lock'd embrace
Our parting was fu' tender;
And, pledging aft to meet again,
We tore oursels asunder;
But oh! fell Death's untimely frost,
That nipt my flower sae early!
Now green 's the sod, and cauld 's the clay,
That wraps my Highland Mary!

O pale, pale now, those rosy lips
I aft hae kiss'd sae fondly!
And closed for aye the sparkling glance
That dwelt on me sae kindly!

And mouldering now in silent dust
That heart that lo'ed me dearly!
But still within my bosom's core
Shall live my Highland Mary.

This poem speaks of the tragedy that was Mary's death and the early death of their romance. But with a poem like that, it is no wonder these two were in love.

Re-designing etc.

The look of the page has changed as you can see. It is now favoring a more antiqued style and hopefully this will only be one of many improvements to continue to make the page better and better over time.

Also I have added a "Links" section in the left sidebar, which you may have noticed. The links can be pretty useful but also let me know if you have ideas for other websites and pages that would be useful to our discussion of Victorian Art.

As always, suggestions, comments, good news, bad news, hearsay and the like are all welcome.

A Slight Change

As you can see, the name of the blog has changed. While the last name did evoke the secretive beginning of the blog, it was a bit bawdy and perhaps even kitschy. The new name derives from the writings of Dante Gabriel Rossetti and I feel that it expresses the aim of this art.

As always, your comments and suggestions are welcomed.

Love in the Days of Yore

Oh, l'amour! According to the songs of our age, love is all you need. But how we love and what is considered as "true love" has changed so much over the millenia.

Sir Francis Bernard Dicksee's Chivalry is a masterwork that raises more questions about love than gives answers. What is the story of this scene? Do you see "true love" between the damsel and her knight? Why or why not?

Why would Dicksee feel the need to reach back to Medieval times for his sources and setting for this painting? What did the Medieval era have that was lacking in his Victorian age?

What other questions about this painting do you have for fellow Victorian art lovers? Discuss and post your comments below.

Home Again

This work by John Linell, entitled The Return of Ulysses, evokes a restful return to Ithaca after the many labours of the poor hero.

What about this work stands out to you? What about the artist's technique? His light, airy brushstrokes render the cliffs as being cloud-like, seamlessly blending the land and sky. Does this enchance the overall composition? Why or why not? John Linell also aspired to paint biblical scenes. What biblical parallel could be derived either in a visual or literary sense from this scene? The artist also seemed to put careful detail into the rendering of light. How does the light support the overall idea of the painting? What sort of light is it? What implications do differing types of light have?

As always, discuss amongst yourselves.

A Woman Scorned

Our very first post! We are so proud!! Just as a note of introduction, we are focusing this blog on the discussion of Victorian Art. We reserve the right to moderate this blog and to delete unsavoury and unsolicited comments.

That being said. We are proud to present our first work for discussion: John William Waterhouse's Mariamne Leaving the Judgement Seat of Herod (1887).

Consider the image, as best you can through the web, and post your thoughts, reactions, or questions. For example, what is the overall feeling of the work? Joyful? Tense? Somber? Is this court a real place or is it more in the realm of fantasy?