This lecture will focus on a moment of pivotal importance in the development of later 19th-century British art and aesthetics. The 1877 libel suit brought against the critic John Ruskin, by the painter James MacNeil Whistler, crystallised growing tensions and anxieties regarding the nature and purpose of painting in the modern world.
Should painters depict moral subjects, in smoothy rendered, sharp-edged clarity? Or should painting rather echo the abstractions of music in its depictions of the modern industrial world?
This lecture is part of the 'Art in Britain: Constable to Henry Moore' lecture series, taking place on Fridays from 22 January to 26 February 2025. You may either register for individual lectures or you may choose to register for the entire lecture series at a reduced price.
Please note: this lecture will close to enrolments at 23:59 UTC on 2 February 2025.