Aesthetic Painting in Britain and America - Collectors, Art Worlds, Networks

The Aesthetic movement of the 19th century celebrated taste, beauty, and self-expression, and this book explores how artworks of this style were produced, collected, and exchanged. It demonstrates how they offered makers and viewers a means of engaging with the rapidly changing world around them, linking them to the expanding visual culture and technological advancements of the time.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 13 October 2020
Publisher: Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art

The Aesthetic movement, which emerged in the 19th century, celebrated taste, beauty, and self-expression, surpassing moral expectations and strict conformity. This enlightening publication delves into the creation and dissemination of artworks during this distinctive historical era. By examining the processes involved in producing, collecting, and exchanging these works of art, the book challenges the notion of Aesthetic painting and design as mere decorative elements. Instead, it showcases the profound impact of artists such as James McNeill Whistler, Edward Burne-Jones, Albert Moore, and others on their makers and viewers, offering a means of engaging with the rapidly evolving world around them. This multifaceted and thought-provoking study presents a revolutionary perspective on artistic production, linking it to the expanding visual culture of the time and the technological advancements that shaped it. In an era characterized by increased connectivity, this book explores how Aesthetic art on both sides of the Atlantic played a significant role in forming global networks.

Distributed for the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art

Weight: 1458g
Dimension: 229 x 291 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781913107147