British Aestheticism and the Urban Working Classes, 1870-1900: Beauty for the People (Palgrave Studies in Nineteenth-Century Writing and Culture)

This cultural study reveals the interdependence between British Aestheticism and late-Victorian social-reform movements. Following their mentor John Ruskin who believed in art's power to civilize the poor, cultural philanthropists promulgated a Religion of Beauty as they advocated practical schemes for tenement reform, university-settlement education, Sunday museum opening, and High Anglican revival. Although subject to novelist's ambivalent, even satirical, representations, missionary aesthetes nevertheless constituted an influential social network, imbuing fin-de-siecle artistic communities with political purpose and political lobbies with aesthetic sensibility. British Aestheticism and the Urban Working Classes, 1870-1900: Beauty for the People explores the ways in which middle-class people sought to bring gifts of beauty to the slums London. Diana Maltz throws fresh light on British Aestheticism as a social movement, on bourgeois myths and insights into tenement life, and on late-Victorian cultural philanthropy in practice. Maltz offers a stimulating reinterpretation of the social reformers Octavia Hill, Samuel Barnett, and Henrietta Barnett, and her chapters examine fictional treatments of 'missionary aestheticism' by Walter Pater, Mrs. Humphry Ward, George Gissing, and Arthur Morrison as well as visual satires by cartoonists Charles Keene and George Du Maurier. Until now, most scholars have tended to view aestheticism as an elitist movement dedicated to promoting the doctrine of art for art's sake among the upper echelons of fashionable English society. Yet, as Maltz demonstrates in this accessible book, dandies in the fin de sǐcle also knew and frequently supported lobbies for enhancing the lives of the poor. By revealing how aestheticism was closely associated with the world of social reform, this book presents a wholly new way of looking at a vital cultural movement British Aestheticism and the Urban Working Classes, 1870-1900: Beauty for the People explores the ways in which middle-class people sought to bring gifts of beauty to the slums of London. Diana Maltz throws fresh light on British Aestheticism as a social movement, on bourgeois myths and insights into tenement life, and on late Victorian cultural philanthropy in practice. Maltz offers a stimulating reinterpretation of the social reformers Octavia Hill, Samuel Barnett, and Hernrietta Barnett, and her chapters examine fictional treatments of 'missionary aestheticism' by Walter Pater, George Gissing, and Arthur Morrison as well as visual satires by cartoonists Charles Keene and George Du Maurier. Until now, most scholars have tended to view aestheticism as an elitist movement dedicated to promoting the doctrine of art for art's sake among the upper echelons of fashionable English society. Yet, as Maltz demonstrates in this accessible book, dandies in the fin de siecle als knew and frequently supported lobbies for enhancing the lives of the poor. By revealing how aestheticism was closely associated with the world of social reform, this book presents a wholly new way of looking at a vital cultural movement. "British Aestheticism and the Urban Working Classes, 1870-1900: Beauty for the People explores the ways in which middle-class people sought to bring gifts of beauty to the slums of London. Diana Maltz throws fresh light on British Aestheticism as a social movement, on bourgeois myths and insights into tenement life, and on late Victorian cultural philanthropy in practice. Maltz offers a stimulating reinterpretation of the social reformers Octavia Hill, Samuel Barnett, and Henrietta Barnett, and her chapters examine fictional treatments of 'missionary aestheticism' by Walter Peter, George Gissing, and Arthur Morrison as well as visual satires by cartoonists Charles Keene and George Du Maurier."--Jacket

this Cultural Study Reveals The Interdependence Between British Aestheticism And Late-victorian Social Reform Movements. Following John Ruskin, Who Believed In Art's Power To Civilize The Poor, Cultural Philanthropists Promulgated A Religion Of Beauty As They Advocated Practical Schemes For Tenement Reform, University-settlement Education, Sunday Museum Opening, And High Anglican Revival. Although Subject To Novelists' Ambivalent, Even Satirical, Representations, Missionary Aesthetes Nevertheless Constituted An Influential Social Network, Imbuing fin-de-siècle Artistic Communities With Political Purpose And Political Lobbies With Aesthetic Sensibility.