William Sidney Mount - The Painter's Triumph [1838]

William Sidney Mount - The Painter's Triumph [1838], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

In an austere plank-floored rural studio, a proud and exultant artist unveils his creation to the delight of a local spectator, possibly his patron or just a farmer friend, who has come to see the work that will soon be sent to exhibition. The canvas undoubtedly records the world of their experience. The studio contains only a plain chair and a few canvases turned to the unembellished walls. The Apollo Belvedere, an emblem of academic art, is depicted in the drawing on the wall, appearing to turn away in disgust. The power of painters to capture familiar realities occupied a middle ground between 1830 and 1860, challenged both by the world of popular culture, which proffered cruder, more sensational entertainment, and by traditionalists who wanted art to elevate and refine viewers by focusing on ideal beauty alone.

[Oil on wood, 49.5 x 59.7 cm]