Painting the City: 19th-century London

Aims

This course aims to:

• provide introductory socio-historical context for understanding depictions of 
  19th-century London
• increase familiarity with a small selection of paintings and etchings of London in the 1800s
• improve visual literacy

Course content

At the beginning of the 19th century, London was already an enormous city and by the dawn of the 20th century, its population had surged past seven million. Throughout the 19th century, this dynamic city captivated the imagination of innumerable artists. Their subjects, techniques, and ambitions varied dramatically, reflecting London’s extraordinary diversity. 

In this introductory course, we will explore a small selection of fascinating works to reveal ways in which the capital inspired a wide range of artistic responses. London was a city of contrasts - a complex, endlessly compelling metropolis. Our exploration will provide insights into its multi-faceted character.

For all its wealth and global power, London was also a city of stark social contrasts. We will explore this tension in the work of the Pre-Raphaelite painters - Holman Hunt, Millais, and Rossetti - whose intriguing paintings engage with themes of morality, poverty, and inequality. 

We will also turn our attention to the River Thames, which was of crucial importance to the capital’s prosperity. We will discover how the riverside neighbourhoods the artist James McNeill Whistler represented were often insalubrious, industrial, and perilous. Despite this, we will learn how his evocative nighttime paintings, or ‘nocturnes’ as they are known, downplay these realities. By comparing these paintings with his more descriptive etchings, we will consider those aspects Whistler chose to reveal, or conceal, and what these decisions might tell us both about London and Whistler’s artistic aims.

The Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 brought French artists Camille Pissarro and Claude Monet to London as refugees from conflict. Pissarro settled in south-east London with his family, while Monet lived closer to the city centre. During their stay, both artists continued to experiment with innovative painting techniques as they focused on depicting transient weather effects. We will examine how both artists interpreted London, what aspects of the city captured their attention, and how their work differed from that of artists already working in the capital.

Finally, we will turn to John Singer Sargent to reveal an alternative perspective on London life. Beginning with his career in Paris, we will trace how his portrayals of fashionable and influential Parisians paved the way for Sargent’s success as a portraitist in London. Far removed from images of street traders, fallen women, and the docks of the East End encountered so far, we will see how Sargent’s society portraits comprise images of glamour and power. Our investigations will consider how these dynamic paintings of London’s elite might even relate to the image of the capital itself.

What to expect on this course

The course will be classroom based and will involve illustrated lectures with PowerPoint, group interaction and close looking at some of the key paintings of the period. 

Course sessions

1. Setting the scene: representing Victorian London : Throughout the 19th century innumerable artists were inspired by the capital. Artists’ subjects, techniques and intentions were wide-ranging. We will begin by exploring a small selection of fascinating examples to consider this diversity and explore some of the reasons why London inspired such variety. 

    

2. Pre-Raphaelites and London: Our examination of a small selection of Pre-Raphaelite works by Holman-Hunt, Millais and Rossetti will focus particularly on representations of modern life. In revealing the influence of historical art on their work we will also consider how social inequality in the capital, particularly with regards to women, provides a challenging, modern subject matter. 

    

3. Whistler and the Thames: Searching for a contemporary subject, Whistler selected the industrial river Thames, one of the least desirable areas of London as a motif for his work. We will trace how Whistler’s fascination with this crucial waterway led him to produce groundbreaking paintings which evoked, rather than described the atmosphere of the Thames. 

    

4. Monet and Pissarro: impressions of London: During their time in London, escaping the Franco-Prussian War, both Monet and Pissarro continued to investigate transient weather effects and to explore the potential for a new pictorial language. What aspects of London do each artist’s works reveal, and how did their approach differ from others working in the capital at the time?

    

5. Sargent and London society: Focusing on Sargent, our final session will begin by looking at his portraits of celebrities and society figures in Paris which eventually led Sargent to establish a successful career in London. Worlds away from street sellers, fallen women and London’s East End docks that we have explored so far, what do Sargent’s portraits convey about London’s high society?

Learning outcomes

As a result of the course, you will gain a greater understanding of the subject and you should be able to:

• have an introductory understanding of the social diversity of London and its appeal for artists 
• have a familiarity with a selection of 19th-century paintings depicting London
• have an ability to compare and contrast works at an introductory level

Required reading

There is no required reading for this course. See Course materials for supplementary reading once registered.