Monday, September 10, 2012

The Victorian Era In 550 Words

By Ashley Anderson


The time during Queen Victoria's reign is a part of history cherished by the United Kingdom. Because of the many changes and innovations experienced during this period, it seems like Britain had its own Renaissance while under rule of Queen Victoria. The Victorian era is characterised by significant social changes and marked cultural development. Morality was at a high, and the Kingdom was at peace for the entire duration of the Queen's long reign. This period of peace has also led to the other moniker for the Victorian era, the Pax Britannica. There were, of course, other significant developments in Britain introduced during the reign of Queen Victoria.

For example, art styles diversified during the Victorian era. One good example is the Gothic style of architecture, as it was successfully revived by architects during the Victorian era. The resurgence of the Gothic style brought it in direct competition with the Classical style, bringing forth what is now dubbed as "the Battle of the Styles." Do not take the word "battle" literally of course; the conflict was expressed in public debates between the two camps, and sometimes in written criticism. The Victorian era marked differing cultural views between classical and gothic styles. Some people viewed the Classical camp as standardising architecture and, in being so, removed any signs of human artistic inclinations. On the other hand, Gothic was thought of as an expression of moral sensibilities that were prevalent during the Era: a direct opposite of the Classical style as viewed by critics of that time. Vernacular architecture would later on emerge, and add to the already populate palette of styles available to artists. Though the artists bickered amongst each other during those days, what remains true is that, during this period, people had a diverse choice of styles that they could mull over for their structures.

Another evolution that arose during the Victorian period is photography, which was pioneered in France by Joseph Nicephone Niepce. Photography first came to the shores of Britain in 1851, when it held the Great Exhibition in 1851 to display innovations and developments from around the world. To honour the invention, Queen Victoria decided to let someone take her photograph, the first monarch to be able to do so. Photography also had a profound effect on paintings and portraits, with many artists deciding to base their styles on actual photographs. For instance, artist John Everett Millais created portraits that are directly influenced by the new technology.|One such artist is John Everett Millais, whose artwork based on people bore close resemblance to pictures.

The Victorian era is remembered not only for its art but also for its fine jewellery. Jewellery is a hobby or a passion for the Queen Herself. For instance, she is known to be quite opulent with her rings, embellishing each finger with one.

To summarize, the Victorian era was a time of positive changes for art, technology and culture. These evolutions and changes are demonstrated definitely in jewellery produced during that time. Nowadays, Victorian jewellery pieces are some of the most sought-after articles of jewellery amongst aficionados. There is great value behind each antique that was made during the Victorian era, making each piece highly sought after by collectors.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment