The relationship of fine art and the poor in late nineteenth century England
The purpose of this thesis, which is concerned with the meeting of fine art and the poor at the end of the nineteenth century, is to show that the problem of the poor which loomed so large at this period did not leave fine art untouched. Fine art's awareness was shown in two distinct ways: it produced a solution to this problem - pictures for the poor -- and it showed a reaction to this problem -- pictures of the poor. The solution lay in the manner in which fine art through specially mounted exhibitions was seen to possess the ability to elevate the poor, both spiritually and, more surprisingly, materially. The reaction lay in the way in which such major social problems of the period as drink, poverty and unemployment were dealt with in a handful of paintings at this time. Following the Introduction, the work falls into two sections. The first section, Chapters One to Seven, is an account of the fine art exhibitions put on for the poor in the last two decades of the century in the East End of London. The second section, Chapters Eight to Eleven, is a discussion of the so-called social realist paintings which appeared at the Royal Academy summer exhibitions from 1870 onwards.
Borzello, F. S.
History
The relationship of fine art and the poor in late nineteenth century England. The purpose of this thesis, which is concerned with the meeting of fine art and the poor at the end of the nineteenth century, is to show that the problem of the poor which loomed so large at this period did not leave fine art untouched. Fine art's awareness was shown in two distinct ways: it produced a solution to this problem - pictures for the poor -- and it showed a reaction to this problem -- pictures of the poor. The solution lay in the manner in which fine art through specially mounted exhibitions was seen to possess the ability to elevate the poor, both spiritually and, more surprisingly, materially. The reaction lay in the way in which such major social problems of the period as drink, poverty and unemployment were dealt with in a handful of paintings at this time. Following the Introduction, the work falls into two sections. The first section, Chapters One to Seven, is an account of the fine art exhibitions put on for the poor in the last two decades of the century in the East End of London. The second section, Chapters Eight to Eleven, is a discussion of the so-called social realist paintings which appeared at the Royal Academy summer exhibitions from 1870 onwards.
relationship fine_art poor england purpose concerned meeting fine_art poor end show problem poor loom large period leave fine_art untouched fine_art awareness show two_distinct way produce solution_problem picture poor show reaction problem picture poor solution lay manner fine_art specially mount exhibition see possess ability elevate poor spiritually surprisingly materially reaction lay way major social problem period drink poverty unemployment dealt handful painting time following_introduction work fall_two section first_section account fine_art exhibition put poor east_end_london second_section eleven discussion so_called social realist painting appear royal academy summer exhibition onwards