ArchiveExhibition
Colour Revolution: Victorian art, fashion & design
21 Sep 2023-18 Feb 2024
Ashmolean Museum
Oxford OX1 2PH
'Jove Decadent, Despres del ball', Ramon Casas, oil on canvas, 1899. Image © Museu de Montserrat
Overview
Dispelling our monochrome idea of Victorian Britain. Discover a revolution of colour.
Rediscover Victorian society as a vibrant colour-filled era – from dazzling dyes used in chic corsets, bold experiments by avant-garde painters, and the flamboyant use of nature's beauty in jewellery.
As Britain’s industrial revolution gained pace, new scientific breakthroughs allowed the Victorians to become increasingly revolutionary in their use of colour, with new hues greeted with both excitement and suspicion.
The exhibition will include fashion pieces – from Queen Victoria’s monotone mourning dress to the most daringly vivid clothing and accessories – and works by artists including Ruskin, Rossetti and Whistler, as well as objects from around the world. Our next major exhibition explores the vital role that colour has played in shaping our art and culture.
