Answering the Emigrant’s Letter 1850 « The PreRaphaelite Experiment

Written by: martini
Date Posted: July 18th, 2011
Category: Modern life
Comments: No Comments »

James Collinson 1825-1881
Oil on panel

Collinson was one of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.
Although this painting does not reflect their techniques,
it shares their pre-occupation with modern-life subjects,
most prevalent in the early 1850s.

It shows a family gathered together to write back
to a friend or relation who has emigrated to Australia.

Over a million people had emigrated
in the ten years before Collins painted this picture.
Hence, it was a subject of great interest to the public.

The cottage interior looks realistic, not idealised.
Similarly, the fact that a boy is drafting the reply,
and not his less-educated parents, has the ring of truth.

Want to take part?

Throughout the year there'll be a range of public activities in Gallery 6. See the full schedule of events and activities here.

Have you got any contemporary visual images inspired by by these Pre-Raphaelite paintings - photos, artworks, hairstyles? Why not add your photos to our flickr group?