Grosvenor Gallery
The Grosvenor Gallery was one of Britain's most important art galleries in the late 19th century and was based in the Bond Street in London.
History
The gallery was designed by Sir Coutts Lindsay and his wife, Lady Blanche Lindsay, an alternative to the Royal Academy of Arts founded in 1877 as. Although it only existed until 1890, the gallery could promote the career of many progressive artists whose work was ignored by the traditional art taste of the established venues. The Lindsay developed innovative concepts for art, audience and presentation that not only influenced the Victorian art and society, but also nachwirkten on the development of today's museum practice.
The opening of the gallery in 1877 was already such a significant event that Albert Edward, the then Prince of Wales, and his wife took part in it. On the first summer show 1877 64 artists were represented, 1880 already more than 200 One of the first exhibitions helped Edward Burne -Jones to late fame. James McNeill Whistler presented here in 1877 his painting Nocturne in Black and Gold: The Falling Rocket from which prompted the art critic John Ruskin to snide remarks. Whistler has brought an action for libel, which was negotiated in 1878 before the High Court in London. Although Whistler won the case, but received only a small compensation. 1882 showed Henry Herbert La Thangue one of his works.
The Grosvenor Gallery then showed less provocative works of the Symbolist and Pre-Raphaelite movement, who were influenced by the aestheticism of time and allegorical figures represented in classical robes. The focus was on the issue, held every summer the gallery for contemporary art, though many aristocrats were traveling from their country seats in the city. The summer show featured both works of established artists as well as new trends. In winter, the gallery showed works of old masters. Late autumn exhibitions were set up specifically for pastel painting.
It was not long until the Grosvenor Gallery was a serious competitor for the Royal Academy of Arts. Logically also some classic artists of the new gallery used to, so that soon many works of neoclassicism were seen. Later they showed the second generation of Pre-Raphaelite works. In addition, the gallery regularly paid tribute to traditional artists like Lawrence Alma -Tadema and Frederic Leighton, who was also president of the Royal Academy of Arts. In the late 1880s, modern painters could be obtained from the European continent as Jules Bastien -Lepage for exhibitions. Finally, promoted the gallery the artist circle of the Glasgow Boys, the Newlyn School in Cornwall and the rustic naturalists.
Was innovative in the exhibitions that the works of each artist were hung together, so that gave mini- retrospectives. In contrast to the then current practice, the painting hung not closely next to and above each other up to the ceiling, but a reasonable space of each plant received at least 30 centimeters away from adjacent image. After the Lindsay had already separated in 1882, the gallery soon fell into financial difficulties. Since, according to Lady Lindsay's resignation also failed to promotions their influential friends, the gallery had to be closed in 1890.
Known Exhibitors
- Lawrence Alma -Tadema
- Anna Bilinska
- Edward Burne -Jones
- Walter Crane
- Edward Cucuel
- Thomas Millie Dow
- Elizabeth Adela Forbes
- Heywood Hardy
- Henry Herbert La Thangue
- William Holman Hunt
- John Lavery
- Frederic Leighton
- Jules Bastien- Lepage
- Violet Manners
- Hamilton Marr
- John Everett Millais
- Thomas Morton Corsan
- Alexander Roche
- Marie Stillman Spartali
- James McNeill Whistler