Gothic Beauty: Victorian notions of love, loss and spirituality

In 1764, the publication of Horace Walpole’s novel The Castle of Otranto caused a sensation. Inspired by Walpole’s tale of a haunted castle, ladies of the day became obsessed with all things “gothic” and supernatural. Our fascination hasn’t faded in the years since (Twilight, we’re looking at you). Bendigo Art Gallery’s latest exhibition traces the influence of the gothic tradition through such objects as a Victorian horse-drawn hearse, 18th and 20th century first edition novels from Jane Austen and Horace Walpole, and works from Aubrey Beardsley and JMW Turner. The exhibition considers how the gothic continues to influence artists today such as Bill Henson Jess Johnson, Jane Burton and Julia DeVille.