Victorian
The wealth and opulence of the High Victorian era and Manchester’s heyday. Storytelling and the hard realities of daily life contrast with depictions of beauty, from rural British landscape to the exotic Far East.
Life and Landscape / Victorian Dramas
The Victorian period was Manchester’s heyday, a time of great affluence. People had more time to read and to travel - stories from history and literature became popular subjects in art and design. Life and Landscape and Victorian Dramas highlights some of our most dramatic paintings, from atmospheric depictions of the Scottish highlands to fanciful recreations of Ancient Rome.
In Pursuit of Beauty
Towards the end of the 19th century there was a move away from narrative painting. Artists became more inspired by Ancient Greek and Roman style than stories, and the exoticism of the Far East was increasingly popular. Paintings, sculpture and design emphasised colour, design and harmony as qualities to be appreciated for their own sake.
Key works usually on display in these galleries include:
- Peter Graham A Spate in the Highlands
- Elizabeth Thompson,
Lady Butler Balaclava - William Powell Frith The Derby Day
- Frank Dicksee The Funeral of a Viking
- Alexander von Wagner The Chariot Race
- Charles-August Mengin Sappho
- Frederic, Lord Leighton Captive Andromache
- Dante Gabriel Rosetti Astarte Syriaca
- Minton Hollins The Prometheus Vase
If you are coming to see a particular work please contact the gallery in advance to ensure it is on display.
