The Awakening Conscience
1853
oil on canvas
Victorian Values and Attitudes
The Light of the World Awakening the Conscience?
What Does it Mean?
The Light of the World
1851-3
oil on canvas
- women and men occupied separate spheres
- strong emphasis on rigidly following social customs
- strict adherence expected, yet consequences for breaking Victorian mores felt almost exclusively by women, or at least most severely
How to "Read" a Pre-Raphaelite Painting:
a narrative is there if you know how to look!
- pay careful attention to details- everything is purposeful
- search for symbolism- nearly everything represents a broader idea
- examine facial expressions and gestures- the Pre-Raphaelites placed a lot of emphasis on the manner in which emotion and meaning could be conveyed through these elements
- analyze the painting through the lenses of Victorian attitudes and religion- these concepts underscored the work of the Pre-Raphaelites
Framing the Narrative: literally and figuratively
"As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, so is he that singeth to a heavy heart" -Proverbs
The Awakening Conscience
William Holman Hunt
Aidan Farrell