Victorian Art Has a Message and so much More

After reviewing Russian Lacquer art, Victorian art seems like child’s play. When the Pilgrims made their trip to America and cut off ties with their European forefathers, they also cut themselves off from the depth of culture and training that had inspired previous generations. Except for memories, many of them had no books or paintings until later immigrants brought them.

There is an innocence about their first efforts at duplicating what they saw; although, drawings from the Lewis and Clark expeditions are fairly detailed and accurate.

Children's books were not only written to entertain, but to teach values and principles.

During the Victorian era, the drawings appear playful and somewhat unskilled. Many scenes are detailed, but the characters seem misshapen or top heavy. Perhaps this was part of their naivety and charm.

At a garage sale a few years back, I purchased an old book titled: “Little Wide Awake, an anthology of Victorian Children’s Books and Periodicals,” by Leonard De Vries. Printed in 1967, the description states: "an authentic and fascinating panorama of the world of the children of a bygone era.”

“Little Wide-Awake” was one of the most popular children’s periodicals of the 19^th century. It reveals shocking details of life in the Victorian world. The stories contain surprising grimness and more stark realism than many of the children’s stories of today.

These black silhouette drawings were a favorite!

In contrast, there is also a cloying sweetness in many stories and poems that many may find “sappy” and sentimental. To quote from the cover: “The religious ideas of the period are expressed in selections from publications of the Religious Tract Society. Also included are fine examples of books of instruction, alphabets, and forerunners of the comic strips.”

Nevertheless, there is humor and lightness in rhyme, as well as superb examples of poetry and “early art nouveau illustrations.”

Young women were taught to mend. Imagine having to darn socks, but it was economical.

The author, Leonard De Vries would be worth one blog on his own. While studying physics and chemistry in Amsterdam, his education was brought to an end when the Nazis overran Holland. De Vries was born in 1919 in Semarang, Indonesia, and considered life a voyage; a discovery full of adventures and surprises. This attitude helped him get through the war and inspired him to write children’s books.

I loved the composition of this drawing.

In 1957, when looking in the attic of a children’s library in Amsterdam for pre-war juvenile books  on science experiments, Leonard found some 18^th century children’s books. These were the basis for this anthology and for many of the over two dozen children’s books that he wrote.

His experiences during the Nazi persecution, and a stay in Israel in 1953 helped him write “The Land is Bright.” In 1960, De Vries made a trip around the world, wandering many months through Thailand and Ceylon, to write a book about the inspiring work of UNICEF. 

Whether you like Victorian art or not, the appealing characters and stories of the period give us a glimpse into the past.

The last painting below is my favorite in the book for its overlapping elements.

Famous Foreign Films bring Laughter, Soul Searching, and Insight

"Tansy's Pride"

I’ve always enjoyed foreign films from the plays and comedies coming via BBS to America’s PBS to imports on the big screen. Like Shakespeare’s dialogue, the subtitles are a temporary impediment. Once you get used to the rhythm of speech and the nuances of character, reading while watching is a snap.

My most recent movie was “In Darkness,” filmed in Poland with Jewish, German, and Jewish actors. My husband and I were able to absorb the interaction of three languages and experience Nazi anti-Semitism at its worst.

Crowded in an underground sewer, we see the stress of the hunted testing each individual’s character to the limits. Their lack of simple amenities, the stink of the sewer, and their fear when the sewers were searched increases tension.

Man’s inhumanity to man was the thrust of the plot; balanced by refreshing scenes where kindness and empathy offered the hope that led to a positive conclusion. The movie was an authentic glimpse into the horrors of being a Jew under Hitler’s rule and rise to power. His insatiable hunger to conquer the world became brutal; his reactions savage.

We can learn from foreign films. There are vast differences between a Hitler and a Gandhi, for instance. One worked for his own aggrandizement, the other for the good of his country and his people.

"Skudeneshavn Norway

On a lighter note, the film “Life is Beautiful” shows another side to grim evil: Guido, a Jewish Italian waiter is sent to a Nazi Concentration Camp along with his wife and young son. “Refusing to give up hope, Guido tries to protect his son’s innocence by pretending that their imprisonment is an elaborate game, with the grand prize being a tank;” An uplifting look at the courage and optimism of the human spirit.

Another favorite: “Amelie” played by Audrey Tauton helps us understand the life of ordinary people in France. Amelie’ finds a long-hidden trove of toys behind a baseboard in her tiny apartment. She is inspired to give them a new look and offer them to the poor children in her area. Her impulse at generosity “sparks more benevolent acts” not only in her own life, but in the community. Amelie’ is a celebration of life and love. It reminds us that small wonders surround us if only we will look. A joy to watch.

“Babette’s Feast is filmed in Denmark. Two sisters turn down a chance to leave their small Danish town to remain and take care of their Pastor father and his small church. They realize all too soon their dismal future and the fact that they will never marry.

Thirty five years later, a French woman seeks refuge after losing everything. The sisters take her in. Everyone in the village is skeptical of this new stranger. Babette seeks to win them over by preparing an extraordinary feast in gratitude. A heartwarming endeavor “eclipsed only by her secret.”

Foreign films show us that in spite of our differences, we human beings are more alike than we can even imagine. Perhaps that’s why I not only enjoy watching films made in other countries, but I adore painting exotic and endearing scenes of fellow human beings. I like to illustrate how beautiful people everywhere show goodness, bring laughter and comfort, and have the capacity to uplift us through their humanity.