October
Symbolism and Storytelling
in the Works of Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale
The Deceitfulness of Riches - Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale
Fortescue's painting was first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1901, then in 1902 at Leighton House in an exhibition entitled Such Stuff as Dreams are made of Further details are unknown (Vasari).
Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale (1872–1945), The Pale Complexion of True Love (1899), further details not known.
Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale (1872–1945), The Gilded Apple (1899) watercolour over graphite, 45 × 26 cm, Private collection.
Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale (1872–1945), The Introduction (before 1905), further details not known.
Eleanor's Work and Biography
Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale was born in 1972 in Surrey. At the age of 17, she went to the local Art School called the Crystal Palace School of Art, and later was admitted to the Royal Academy of London (AWARE: Archives of Women Artists, Research and Exhibitions). Most of her work was considered in the Pre-Raphaelite style, which was a group of painters that came together in 1848 in reaction to what they considered “unimaginative” and “artificial” historical painting. The Pre-Raphaelites pictured medieval and religious figures with sharp and brilliant lighting, atmosphere and details, with often a poetic interpretation of the biblical subjects and literary themes (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica). Although it was fifty years since the brotherhood was formed, Fortescue’s artwork can be considered Pre-Raphaelite by her style, color choices, Renaissance style references and literary motifs. She might have been the last artist who stayed true to the movement’s style (Hoakley).
Her early work mainly consisted of watercolor illustrations (see Fig. 6 and 7). The Deceitfulness of Riches was painted in 1901, one of the few oil paintings by Fortescue (AWARE: Archives of Women Artists, Research and Exhibitions). Her approach to storytelling was often by using morals and allegories to send her message, and her literary Arthurian references and interpretations of poems (see Figure 7 and 8) set her apart as one of the most successful artists of her period (National Museums Liverpool). Though when the painting was first exhibited in 1901, there was much debate over the allegories and interpretation, the exhibition was well acclaimed and commercially successful. She was the first female member of the Institute of Painters in Oils and first female associate member of the Royal Society of Painters in Watercolors in 1902. In her late life, she became less productive as her health declined, but still produced a few designs for stain glass. Eleanor died in 1945 at the age of 73 (Vasari).
Painting Description
The painting shows a young pale woman in the center (fig.3), and several people around her. The woman is dressed in an orange dress sitting down on a bed, with her legs on the left side of the painting. She looks down to her lap, holding an orange kitten in one hand, close to her face, and a pearl necklace and a peach on the other hand, laying on her lap. On the right side, next to her bed, an orange tree hangs above the woman. Under the tree, a lady with auburn hair stands (fig.4), wearing green robes with yellow, black and brown accents. She leans over, looking to the left and signaling with her hand, holding her left index finger to her mouth. Her other hand holds a peacock feather fan that almost touches the floor. On the far right, another young woman wearing dark purple robes seems to go up a flight of stairs, her head turned to the left, looking at the pale woman’s direction.
As for the left side (fig.2), a young man with long red hair sits next to the pale woman, wearing a strange hat with what seems like red feathers hanging from the top. He looks attentively at the pale woman. He holds a mandolin in his hands and seems to be playing music for her. Behind him, a child, seemingly a girl, stands wearing red robes and looking at the woman. The last character is a young woman on the far left. She wears dark purple robes as well, with a yellow fabric garment showing a colorful flower print attached. She also looks at the pale woman in the center of the painting. In her hands, she holds a golden plate full of peaches.
There are multiple flowers and branches around and behind all the characters. Behind the pale woman, there are pink and purple rose bushes and a branch with fruit hangs behind the male character. In the front, there are more rose bushes, as well as daisies and pink carnations. The overall tone of the painting is Victorian, with classic painting techniques but not quite completely realistic features. The composition is inorganic, and the perspective is flat although there is a clear difference between front and back. When describing colors, Oxford professor Henry Scott Holland said “the room glows with it, as if it were flung out of live jewels. The flaming crimsons, the crisp greens, the sheen of rose, speak and sing out of their frames” (Vasari). The figure in the middle is clearly brighter than the rest of the painting, attracting immediately the viewers' attention to her.
Analysis
It is still unclear what message Eleanor wanted to bring with this painting, but a few assumptions can be made once understanding the meanings behind Fortescue’s symbols and allegories. The title could allude to the Bible, since it is a common sermon in the Christian religion. It lectures people to not be deceived by Riches (money), since that encompasses pride, extravagance, excess, arrogance, etc. In the bible, it is to believe that a true Riches cannot be bought by money: “Therefore, if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?” (Luke 16:11, NKJV). True riches are “riches of heaven”; it is what heaven bestows or gives (True Riches – RCCG Living Spring International, Pittsburgh).
Circling back to the painting, the woman in the middle is being pampered and offered multiple things, almost excluding her from the rest of the world. Everyone around her seems to be making sure that not only her needs are met, but also that there is no interference from the outside world. Many believe the lady to be a princess, since her clothes and attitude attribute her a high status. The child, on the upper left, seems to speak but can’t be heard over the music. There is also a holy figure behind her, which could also be a reference to the religious theme of the painting. It is very likely a commentary on Ignorance, since the princess is alienated by her environment. She remains ignorant to everyone around her, providing a false sense of security and contentment. Therefore, the moral could be that money and status can be deceiving and the princess is imprisoned in her false reality (Ross). An article in 1901 describes the painting being “a lay sermon on the tyranny of soft environment and on the unwitting cruelty which lurks in ignorance” (Vasari).
(Fig. 8)
Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale (1872–1945), The Little Foot Page (1905), oil on canvas, 90.8 × 57 cm, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, England.
Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale (1872–1945), The Little Foot Page (1905), oil on canvas, 90.8 × 57 cm, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, England.
Sources
AWARE: Archives of Women Artists, Research and Exhibitions. “Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale - Archives of Women Artists, Research and Exhibition.” AWARE Women Artists / Femmes Artistes, 19 Feb. 2023, awarewomenartists.com/en/artiste/eleanor-fortescue-brickdale. Accessed 13 Oct. 2023.
“The Deceitfulness of Riches by Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale.” Fine Art America, fineartamerica.com/featured/the-deceitfulness-of-riches-eleanor-fortescue-brickdale.html. Accessed 13 Oct. 2023.
Dixon, Marion Hepworth. OUR RISING ARTISTS: ELEANOR FORTESCUE-BRICKDALE. 1902, www.proquest.com/openview/c3d01df2583acb74/1?cbl=2895&parentSessionId=AfOtg6ymRg5fcLMRLUiCEy8eU1oNpXwFfChWDAXvgBk%3D&pq-origsite=gscholar&parentSessionId=f9T0%2BVvNFI4%2B5V%2FiXBWZ1liLGRTYOKCAWwi09H6irt8%3D. Accessed 13 Oct. 2023.
Hoakley. “Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale: The Last Pre-Raphaelite?” The Eclectic Light Company, 8 Nov. 2017, eclecticlight.co/2017/11/09/eleanor-fortescue-brickdale-the-last-pre-raphaelite. Accessed 13 Oct. 2023.
National Museums Liverpool. “A Pre-Raphaelite Journey: Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale.” National Museums Liverpool, www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/whatson/lady-lever-art-gallery/exhibition/pre-raphaelite-journey-eleanor-fortescue-brickdale. Accessed 13 Oct. 2023.
Nunn, Pamela Gerrish. “Eleanor Fortescue Brickdale as a Black-and-white Artist.” Manchester University Press eBooks, 2023, https://doi.org/10.7765/9781526161703.00021.
Ross, Kara Lysandra. “Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale - 30 Artworks - Art Renewal Center.” Art Renewal Center, www.artrenewal.org/artists/eleanor-fortescue-brickdale/166. Accessed 13 Oct. 2023.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood | 19th Century British Art Movement.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 Sept. 2023, www.britannica.com/art/Pre-Raphaelite-Brotherhood. Accessed 13 Oct. 2023.
True Riches – RCCG Living Spring International, Pittsburgh. 11 July 2017, www.rccgpittsburgh.com/true-riches/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CTherefore%20if%20you%20have%20not,what%20heaven%20bestows%20or%20gives. Accessed 13 Oct. 2023.
“Vasari” Vasari | the Deceitfulness of Riches, vasari.com.hk/pages/article/the_deceitfulness_of_riches. Accessed 13 Oct. 2023.
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