Any fans of Pre-Raphaelite art out there? I really love this old art of the Victorian and early Edwardian era, The colours and subject matter are so romantic and speak to my soul. I have pictures hanging up in my home office and Tarot bags on the theme too. Modern art doesn't speak to me the same way as this art. I visualise an artist studio with plenty sunlight streaming through the windows and a leafy green garden with lush green trees near the window for inspiration. Leadlight glass panes on the windows and a leadlight lamp in the room somewhere. To me these things go together with the era, and I love leadlight windows and lighting.
I would prefer botanical art in modern paintings or something nature based. But this Pre-Raphaelite art has such a strong pull for me. I do feel a strong pull towards the mythical and whimsical elements of the art of this genre as it moved into the early 20th century. This style of painting is evocative in its beauty, elegance and the mystical all wrapped in one package.
Midsummer's Eve by Robert Hughes and John William Waterhouse's famous Lady of Shallot painting, are sitting above my computer as I type this. So feminine and a sense of a magical time in art where romance meets esoteric mysticism in a big way. Modern art cannot possibly evoke the same wonder in me like the Pre Raphaelite art does, no disrespect intended here, it’s just my personal preference in art.
Midsummer's Eve by Robert Hughes
The Lady of Shalott by John William Waterhouse
The Accolade by Edmund Blair Leighton
Ophelia by J W Waterhouse
The vibrant colours of the John Everett Millais version of Ophelia
The Ophelia paintings come in various versions by different artists.
All of the Pre-Raphaelite paintings are beautiful, deeply evocative and esoteric, though loved by many for their sheer beauty alone. To me it is a visual mystical poetry of times gone by, by both the artists and the era. The times they depict and how they make me feel from a modern times standpoint is hard to put in words. These artists were most definitely very privileged individuals not just in talent but from backgrounds that could afford to provide the artists with the means to create these wonders.
The esoteric wisdom that each artist possesses is not unlike those on a metaphysical path that are immersed in the symbolism of the Tarot. But the sheer beauty that an artist creates on canvas is unsurpassed for beauty, wisdom and human experience that most of humanity never gets a chance to experience on a deep personal level. However, they can get a brief glimpse into this amazing transcendental world by studying the beautiful artworks in a gallery, a book, poster or just on good old Google.
The more one looks at the images the deeper they speak to the subconscious mind in subtle ways which I feel are beneficial to humans on a spiritual level, not just beautiful art for the sake of it.
I hope these pictures may spark an interest in someone that is seeing them for the first time.
There are hundreds of images on Google images if you just type in " Pre Raphaelite art". From there click on the images and read about the individual artists. I do hope that there is someone with a curiosity for this beautiful art that becomes passionate about this genre and benefits from this simple little post.
Warm and fuzzy hugs,
Alex
