Ruralism and Englishness : meaning in paintings of English rural life and labour, c. 1870-1905
This thesis examines visual representations of English country life and labour in the period 1870 to 1905 in relation to contemporary beliets in the centrality of the rural world to conceptions of national identity and'Englishness'. Centering upon an analysis of oil and watercolour paintings, but also interrogating prints, posters and photographs, the thesis examines the ways in which the production and consumption of images of rural lite in the period addressed and articulated widespread elite cultural concerns over a complex range of social issues, including purported racial degeneration, growing class conflict, and the checking of British imperial ambitions. Divided thematically into five distinct yet interlinked chapters, the thesis investigates firstly the stylistic evolutions in the painting of rural life across the period, and the connections made between particular visual languages and notions of a'national' school of art. The second chapter focuses upon an assessment of pictorial representations of the farmworker, looking in particular at the ways in which visual descriptions of rural labourer's bodies explored ideas of racial identity and national character. Chapters Three and Four look in turn at
O'Brien, James Leslie Graham
Oil; Watercolour
Ruralism and Englishness : meaning in paintings of English rural life and labour, c. 1870-1905. This thesis examines visual representations of English country life and labour in the period 1870 to 1905 in relation to contemporary beliets in the centrality of the rural world to conceptions of national identity and'Englishness'. Centering upon an analysis of oil and watercolour paintings, but also interrogating prints, posters and photographs, the thesis examines the ways in which the production and consumption of images of rural lite in the period addressed and articulated widespread elite cultural concerns over a complex range of social issues, including purported racial degeneration, growing class conflict, and the checking of British imperial ambitions. Divided thematically into five distinct yet interlinked chapters, the thesis investigates firstly the stylistic evolutions in the painting of rural life across the period, and the connections made between particular visual languages and notions of a'national' school of art. The second chapter focuses upon an assessment of pictorial representations of the farmworker, looking in particular at the ways in which visual descriptions of rural labourer's bodies explored ideas of racial identity and national character. Chapters Three and Four look in turn at
englishness meaning painting english rural_life labour examines visual_representation english country life labour period relation contemporary centrality rural world conception national_identity and englishness upon analysis oil painting also interrogate print poster photograph examine_way production_consumption image rural lite period address articulated widespread elite cultural concern complex range social issue include purport racial degeneration grow class conflict check british_imperial ambition divided thematically distinct yet interlink investigate firstly stylistic evolution paint rural_life across_period connection make particular visual language notion national school art second focus_upon assessment pictorial_representation look particular_way visual description rural labourer body explore idea racial identity national_character three_four look turn