PRE RAPHAELITE EXHIBITION AT THE TATE 

DANTE GABRIAL ROSSETTI
The Beloved ('The Bride') 1865-6

GEORGE FREDERIC WATTS
Portrait of Edith Villiers, later the Countess of  Lytton 1862

Entering this exhibition I already had pre conceptions of what i thought i was going to think of this Pre Raphaelite exhibition.  I expected to feel underwhelmed, tired ad uninterested in the whole thing. Happy for the dark light and gloominess to end like I often feel after going to an exhibition of this period and manner. 

I must say I was really pleasantly surprised.  I enjoyed it from the moment I went in.  Yes, the exhibition as a whole had that ere of those exhibitions that  i dread. However this was lightened by the powerfulness and strong narratives strongly portrayed in many of the paintings.  I was particularly drawn to a few of them, of which i have photographed and put on my blog.  The one of Edith Villiers I found interesting for her stance and this sense of her longing for something. I found her character very interesting and for me held a lot of mystery and secrecy.

 In a similar vein "The Beloved ('The Bride')" held that certain mystery.  Almost in this one due to her being a bride, i got the impression of the idea of this woman being caged as she enters a new married life.  Also the African woman at the bottom really intrigued and also surprised me.  I think simply because of her race, it sounds awful but its true thatit is not as common to find a black person in older paintings. I am not certain of her role in the setting, however I found it refreshing and for me the reason why I chose the painting.  

Overall I really enjoyed this exhibition and definitely found it changed my perception of Pre Raphaelite art.