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Victorian Radicals

October 13, 2018

- January 6, 2019

In the second half of the nineteenth-century, three generations of young, rebellious artists and designers revolutionized the visual arts in Britain by engaging with and challenging the new industrial world around them. The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, William Morris and his associates, and the champions of the Arts & Crafts Movement offered a radical artistic and social vision whose inspiration was in the pre-industrial past. Their work deeply influenced visual culture in Britain and beyond. Organized from the outstanding collection of the city of Birmingham, United Kingdom, Victorian Radicals will bring together an extensive array of works—many of which have never been exhibited outside the UK—to illuminate this dynamic period of British art.

Featuring works by pioneering artists including Ford Madox Brown, Edward Burne-Jones, William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, William Morris, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and Elizabeth Siddall, Victorian Radicals will represent the spectrum of avant-garde practices of the Victorian era, emphasizing the response of Britain’s first modern art movement to the unfettered industrialization of the period. These artists’ attention to detail, use of vibrant colors, and engagement with both literary themes and contemporary life will be illustrated through a selection of paintings, drawings, and watercolors presented alongside outstanding examples of decorative arts.

The exhibition explores the ideas that preoccupied artists and critics at the time—the relationship between art and nature, questions of class and gender identity, the value of the handmade versus machine production, and the search for beauty in an age of industry—issues that remain relevant and actively debated today. OKCMOA is proud to be the first museum to present this traveling exhibition of exceptional historical and visual richness.

Victorian Radicals: From the Pre-Raphaelites to the Arts and Crafts Movement is organized by the American Federation of Arts and Birmingham Museums Trust. This exhibition is supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional funding provided by Clare McKeon and the Dr. Lee MacCormick Edwards Charitable Foundation.

Programming and Events:

SUSTAINERS’ PREVIEW
Thursday, October 11 | 5-8 pm
Reception, exhibition catagloue signing, and exclusive presentation by Dr. Tim Barringer, Paul Mellon Professor and Chair of the History of Art, Yale University
Invitation to this event is an exclusive benefit of Sustainer level membership. Not a Sustainer member? Please call (405) 278-8207 to join or upgrade your membership.

MEMBERS’ DAY
Friday, October 12 | 10 am-8 pm
10 am | Exhibition galleries open to members only
5 pm | Cash bar and refreshments available
6 pm | Lecture by Dr. Tim Barringer, Paul Mellon Professor and Chair of the History of Art, Yale University
This lecture is open to Museum members only. | Not a member? Join today by calling (405) 278-8207 or clicking here.

SPECIAL EXHIBITION TOURS
These in-gallery guided tours will provide conversation-based insights and close-looking experiences.
$15 for members; $25 for non-members. | Pre-registration recommended.

PUBLIC EXHIBITION LECTURE
Wednesday, December 5 | 6 pm
Being a Radical Artist in Victorian England: Dr. Julie Codell, Professor of Art History, Arizona State University

THIRD THURSDAYS
Thursday, October 18: Victorian Halloween | 5-9 pm
Thursday, November 15: Murder Mystery Night Sherlock Holmes Edition | 5-9 pm
Thursday, December 20: Victorian Yuletide | 5-9 pm

GROUP EXHIBITION TOURS
Reservations required. Group rate and tour guides are available.
Call (405) 278-8213 for more information.

STUDIO SUNDAY (All ages)
Radical Tile Designs, Sunday, December 30 | 1-4 pm
Free with admission. Click here for details.

BABIES AT THE MUSEUM (Ages 0-2 years)
Coffee, social time, and an interactive gallery experience. The theme is “Windows and Light” inspired by Victorian Radicals.

Friday, November 2 | 10 am-12 pm
Saturday, November 3 | 10 am-12 pm
Pre-registration required. E-mail learn@okcmoa.com for more details.

MUSEUM PLAYDATE (Ages 2-4 years)
Coffee, social time, and an interactive gallery experience. The theme is “Windows and Light” inspired by Victorian Radicals.

Friday, November 9 | 10 am-12 pm
Saturday, November 10 | 10 am-12pm
Pre-registration required. E-mail learn@okcmoa.com for more details.

Thank you to our generous exhibition sponsors!

W.C. Payne Foundation

Oklahoma Humanities

Virginia W. and James C. Meade

Anonymous, in honor of J. Edward Barth

Sharon and John R. Bozalis, MD

The Kerr Foundation, Inc.

Amalia Miranda and Paul Silverstein

Image Credit: Kate Bunce, Musica, ca. 1895–97. Oil on canvas, 40 3/16 x 30 3/16 x 1 3/4 in., Birmingham Museums Trust (1897P17). © Birmingham Museums Trust

133.Bunce Musica 400.132a 1897P17 1

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