COLOUR-REVOLUTION-VICTORIAN-ART-FASHION. ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM, OXFORD

 A major exhibition, now open

21 Sep 2023 – 18 Feb 2024

Step into a revolution of colour and dispel our monochrome idea of Victorian Britain

Rediscover Victorian society as a vibrant colour-filled era – from dazzling dyes used in chic corsets, bold experiments by avant-garde painters, and the flamboyant use of nature's beauty in jewellery.

As Britain’s industrial revolution gained pace, new scientific breakthroughs allowed the Victorians to become increasingly revolutionary in their use of colour, with new hues greeted with both excitement and suspicion. This explosion of colour was embraced by artists, designers and many others in all walks of 19th-century life.

The exhibition includes fashion pieces – from Queen Victoria’s monotone mourning dress to the most daringly vivid clothing and accessories – and works by artists including Millais, Ruskin, Rossetti, Turner and Whistler, as well as objects from around the world and some of the earliest colour 'photograms'. It reveals the vital role that colour has played in shaping our art and culture and offers a rare opportunity to see some of these objects on public display.

Please note, the second room of the exhibition includes one object which discusses transatlantic slavery, which some visitors may find upsetting.

https://www.ashmolean.org/exhibition/colour-revolution-victorian-art-fashion-design#:~:text=21%20Sep%202023%20%E2%80%93%2018%20Feb%202024&text=Rediscover%20Victorian%20society%20as%20a,of%20nature's%20beauty%20in%20jewellery.