You’re probably familiar with John Everett Miliais’ 1851 painting, ‘Ophelia’, even if you don’t know it. The image has come up time and again in the 16 decades since it was revealed to the public. It even served as inspiration for Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue’s music video, ‘Where the Wild Roses Grow’, in which Kylie mimics Ophelia’s watery pose.
The painting is one of the centrepieces of Love & Desire: Pre-Raphaelite Masterpieces from the Tate, a new exhibition opening on December 14 at the National Gallery of Australia.
We’ve all heard of the Tate Modern museum, but its larger, older sibling, the Tate Britain was originally founded in 1897, by sugar magnate Sir Henry Tate. It houses a substantial collection of art made in the UK, stretching right back to Tudor times.
This Canberra exhibition explores the differing styles of the artists, the importance of draughtsmanship, and the collaborative work involved in the applied arts central to the Pre-Raphaelite movement. It features 40 of Tate Britain's best-loved works, alongside a further 40 loans from British and Australian collections.
The movement was formed in 1848 by a group of English painters, poets and art critics. Known for rejecting the art establishment of the era, the rebellious group also despised the mundanity of the everyday. These angsty artists adopted a radical style, painting directly from the motif in bright, clear colours, and building each form in thin layers with small brushes.
Newly-minted NGA director Nick Mitzevich says the exhibition includes “some of the most loved and visited paintings at Tate – some of which have never before been seen in Australia”.