Orpheus and Eurydice - Slade School of Art artist 1881 watercolour sketch

Amazing piece of history!

Thank you. Yes I was very pleased with the find. Some incredible artists, male and female came through the Slade. I will carry the research on to see if I can find out which artist this was, or who was there in 1881. There would not have been a huge number.

I thought women's activities to keep them occupied during that era included painting still lifes and landscapes.  Certainly a rarirty to see the more serious subjects and religious expression done.

The Slade school was pioneering in offering women access to life classes, though they were often restricted to drawing lightly draped models. I wondered if this painting was done by a women because of this. The school was also ground breaking in offering prestigious scholarships to female students. At this time great artists like Evelyn de Morgan were at the school.