The second half of the 19th century brought new, rebellious artists to the forefront in Britain. These select few, dubbed the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, championed an innovative social vision by inspiring and altering visual culture around the globe. Their themed pieces explore class and gender identity, beauty versus industry, art and nature.
The Oklahoma City Museum of Art brings some of these pieces to the state for its newest exhibition, Victorian Radicals: From the Pre-Raphaelites to the Arts and Crafts Movement. The collection comes from Birmingham, England, and showcases works never seen outside the United Kingdom. Artists include Ford Madox Brown, Edward Burne-Jones, William Holman Hunt and Elizabeth Siddal.
“Victorian Radicals [represents] the spectrum of avant-garde practices of the Victorian era, emphasizing the response of Britain’s first modern art movement to the unfettered industrialization of the period,” according to OKCMOA’s website. “These artists’ attention to detail, use of vibrant colors and engagement with both literary themes and contemporary life [are] illustrated through a selection of paintings, drawings and watercolors presented alongside outstanding examples of decorative arts.”
OKCMOA is the first to present this traveling exhibition. The show opens Oct. 13 and runs until Jan. 6. For more information, visit okcmoa.com.
