Blossoms

This painting is a copy of Blossoms (1881), which is owned by the Tate Gallery, and was commissioned by Merton so it could be hung in East Cliff Hall.

Albert Moore, was a leading figure of the aesthetic movement and a great favourite of Sir Merton and Lady Annie Russell Cotes. The Russell-Cotes owned several works by the artist, although the only original oil in the collection is Midsummer (1887) found in Gallery I.

“My profound admiration for my late dear friend’s pictures” Merton Russell-Cotes wrote, “was only exceeded by that for himself.” Indeed, he devotes twelve pages of his autobiography to him and recalls Moore, as he was apt to do with artists and people of distinction, “a great friend”.

Moore visited Rome and his interest in classical sculpture blossomed. On his return, he studied the Elgin Marbles at the British Museum which inspired many of the faces, poses and draperies of his work. In 1865 he met James Whistler and they became friends. Whistler encouraged Moore with his aesthetic principles of ‘art for art’s sake’ and introduced him to Japanese art. Greek sculpture and Japanese art can be seen in the design of Blossoms. The pose and rippled drapery are suggestive of a statue of Venus while the delicate colouring and decorative background of flowers reflects ‘Japonisme’. Moore believed that beauty, colour, harmony and line were the only things that mattered.

Moore became a leading light in the Aesthetic Movement which opposed John Ruskin’s passionate moralising. When Whistler took Ruskin to court for his libellous criticism, Moore was a prosecution witness. The two friends were stars of the Grosvenor Gallery, London, which opened in 1877 to champion ‘advanced’ decorative art in opposition to historical subjects at the Academy. Moore studied at the Royal Academy Schools & exhibited there successfully. However, his strident views prevented him from becoming a Royal Academician.