Snakes and serpents in myth, legend and religion are thoroughly sinister and bad, with one curious exception. A journey across centuries of images.
Collier
Full of memorable lines such as “All the world’s a stage” and songs like “It was a lover and his lass”, a favourite comedy and well painted.
Well known from language, the scarlet woman should be easy to read in paintings. But all that is scarlet isn’t who you’d expect.
Can a single painting tell the viewer a story which they don’t already know? Examples from Holman Hunt, Degas, Orchardson, Collier and Chierici.
Fine paintings from 1921, by John Collier, Christian Krohg, Félix Vallotton, Maurice Denis and others.
Paintings of the Sleeping Beauty and the Frog Prince only became popular late in the nineteenth century. Do they conform to the standard plot type?
Telling a story using shadows, and the nineteenth century controversy over the colour of shadows.
It flourished and brought commercial success to many artists, and laid the foundations for sub-genres. Still lifes were among the most innovative and exciting paintings of the day.
Paintings from the late 19th century, including the best of John Collier’s ‘problem pictures’, and whole series from James Tissot. Was he seeking his own redemption?
Exhausted and destitute figures asleep, by Christian Krohg, Ferdinand Hodler, Sorolla, Waterhouse, and others.
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