Artistic Innovations During the Victorian Era

The Victorian era is lovingly remembered. Because of the many changes and innovations made possible during this period, it would appear like Britain had its own Renaissance while under rule of Queen Victoria. Brought about by the beloved Queen, the United Kingdom experienced a time of social and cultural development. Morality was at a high, and the Kingdom was at peace for the entire length of the Queen's long reign. Because of the long period of peace, historians consider the Victorian era as a time of Pax Britannica. There were, of course, other significant developments in Britain brought about during the reign of Queen Victoria.

Art, for instance, experienced a surge in style. For instance, there was a rise in Gothic architecture during the era, effectively restoring the style. Because it clashed with the established Classical design and style, the re-emergence of Gothic architecture paved the way for the Battle of the Styles. Of course, people did not go to war with people who favoured a different architectural style, but instead the "battle" was played out using debates and criticisms from one camp to the other. There were, after all, big distinctions between the Gothic and the Classical styles. Critics of the Classical camp considered the style as too standard, and even too mechanic that it is almost devoid of life. Meanwhile, 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 inventions and developments from all over the world. Queen Victoria herself had the distinction of being the first monarch to have her photo taken. A new style of art emerged as well, where paintings and portraits are inspired by photographs making the result a lot more detailed and realistic. One such artist is John Everett Millais, whose artwork based on people bore close likeness to photographs.

The Victorian era is remembered not only for its art but also for its fine jewellery. In this case, Queen Victoria had great affection for jewellery. For instance, she is known to be quite opulent with her rings, adorning each finger with one. Aside from that, the Victorian-era pieces of jewellery featured one quality that were impossible during the Georgian era. Gems that were not available in the kingdom were now available from other sources like India and Australia, and this was made possible by the relative peace enjoyed during Queen Victoria's time on the throne. Victorian-era jewellery were also affected by the creation of gas light, as Georgian gemstones that were designed to project a glow under candle light became overwhelmed by the new kind of light.

To summarize, the Victorian era was a time of positive changes for art, technology and culture. If you want to study the impact of the Victorian era in culture and art, you should get your hands on some authentic Victorian-era antiques. Their splendour make Victorian-era jewelleries popular amongst jewellery collectors, especially those interested in antiques. There is also great sentimental value for each piece of Victorian antique jewellery because of their age, which makes them a must-have for any antique enthusiast.