Studying The Innovations That Appeared During The Victorian Period

By Ashley Anderson


The time during Queen Victoria's reign is a part of history cherished by the United Kingdom. Because of the many changes and innovations experienced during this period, it would seem 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 growth. Morality was at a high, and the Kingdom was at peace for the entire duration 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 surge in Gothic architecture during the era, effectively restoring the style. The resurgence of the Gothic style brought it in direct competition with the Classical style, bringing forth what is now dubbed as "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. Some people considered the Classical camp as standardising architecture and, in being so, removed any signs of human artistic inclinations. On the other hand, Gothic was regarded 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. Taking debate aside, it is observed that, during the Victorian era, people had access to more than one style of architecture thanks to the appearance of the Gothic and vernacular styles.

It was also during the Victorian era that photography appeared for the first time in Britain. The United Kingdom was exposed to the technology during the Great Exhibition in 1851, and since then it has had a serious impact on art in the nation. To honour the invention, Queen Victoria decided to let someone take her photograph, the first monarch to be able to do so. 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. For instance, artist John Everett Millais created portraits that are directly influenced by the new technology.|One such artist is John Everett Millais, whose artwork based on people bore close resemblance 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. While Georgian jewellery died naturally under the light of the gas light, Victorian jewellery were made particularly to preserve its luster under the new type of light used during the era.

Indeed, the Victorian era is a time of evolution in art, technology and even culture. One should be able to see these changes and cultural impacts if they are able to purchase for themselves some antique Victorian jewelleries. Nowadays, Victorian jewellery pieces are some of the most sought-after articles of jewellery amongst aficionados. There is great worth behind each antique that was made during the Victorian era, making each piece highly sought after by collectors.




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