Harpenden

Art Appreciation

In the last few months, the Art Appreciation group has been looking at the lives and the work of painters in Victorian times. Inevitably, we have seen reflections of seriously hard work, desperate poverty and hardship. It is very clear that the artists set out to show up the terrible conditions in which many people lived and worked. And, it did not go unnoticed.
These paintings spoke to the viewers. No text was necessary. “The Stonebreaker” is worked to a standstill and is probably dead. “Found Drowned”, is of a young woman brought, drowned, out of the river. Why might a young woman be drowned? No Money, no family, no food, forced into prostitution and eventually diseased.
Unwanted.

Political and social commentators such as Beatrice and Sidney Webb, who founded the Fabian Society, drew astute observations of the unfairness and exploitation which they had seen.

Eventually, in 1900 the Labour Party was formed and society began to change for the better.

The Group meets monthly. I send out an overview of the artist ‘s life and times, which the group will read and they then do any additional research. We view the paintings on tv from a member’s lap top and then we discuss the paintings as we view them.

Informative, stimulating, enlightening…… That’s Art.

Pat Jacques
Group Leader
Please contact Pat Jacques for further information on 01582 713166.

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More Group Pages
Art Appreciation Bus Pass Group
Church and Pub Climate Change
Creative Writing Current Affairs
Exploring London Family History
Gardening German Conversation
History Hot Issue Seminars (HIS)
Latin Local History
Mah Jong Needlecraft 1
Needlecraft 2 Play reading
Poetry Reading for Pleasure 1
Reading for Pleasure 2 Science & Technology
Scrabble Singing for Pleasure
Spanish Conversation Strollers - Saturday
Strollers - Weekday Walking Group