Victorian Radicals

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery Book tickets

From the Pre-Raphaelites to the Arts & Crafts Movement

Victorian Radicals celebrates Birmingham’s historic importance as a centre for the Arts and Crafts. It features vibrant paintings, exquisite drawings, plus jewellery, glass, textiles and metalwork from three generations of British artists, designers and makers.

Open Wednesday - Sunday, 10am - 5pm (admission charges apply).

A painting of a female figure with dark hair playing a lute and text reading 'Victorian Radicals: From Pre-Raphaelites to the Arts and Crafts Movement'.
Find out more about the exhibition

360° Tour

See inside the Victorian Radicals exhibition using these 360° interactive photos.

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Featured artworks

Image gallery

  • A painting of a female head, neck and hands. The reminder of the painting is unfinished brown-gold underpainting.
  • A court dress in a pale colour with long puffy sleeves.
  • A tea set with teapot, kettle, jug and sugar bowl and tray. Made from shiny copper with accents of brass.
  • A large gilt golden chest with design on the side featuring two ladies in a garden tending to a dragon in the middle.
  • Drawing of a man seated with his feet resting on a chair. A lady is seated opposite him, drawing him with the board resting on chair.
  • Jug with tall neck, large spout and globular body covered with leaf and flower motifs set with a garnet.
  • Ornate gothic style reliquary with crucifix final on Byzantine style roof studded with precious stones and enamel.
  • A painting of a man and women sitting on a boat, holding hands. The man holds and umbrella and the lady is holding a baby with is hidden by her shawl. Behind them are other people on the boat and the sea.
  • A person in green drapery is comforting another person who has large wings and is wrapped in cloth bondages.
  • A lady with dark hair is seated. She is pouring a liquid from a beaker into a lit burner and her head is titled while she holds onto her read bead necklace. The background is gold with details of a ship and trees.
  • A cirular dish with an osprey standing on a rock surrounded by water in which two fish are swimming, behind the bird is a setting sun with ruby and gold rays. The sea, bird and fish are brown and while colours.
  • A panel painted in enamels. The panel uses strong colours showing an equestrian knight and three ladies on balcony with gilded details.
  • An Victorian emerald green dress with a thin black trimming on collar and cuffs and neck.
  • Head and shoulders of a youthful man with head turned 3/4 to the left. He wears a crown of vine leaves and grapes. He holds a wooden staff with vine leaves on his shoulder. The background shows hills and a sky.
  • A full length painting of a female in a room. She is wearing a green, yellow and purple robe in layers. She holds a dragon shaped lamp in front her with flames spouting out of it.
  • Painting of a woman seated and half length. A bird drops a red poppy on her hands. There are figures in the background.
  • Painting of a female figure with dark hair playing a lute. She wears a green dress with flowers and has red sleeves. In the background is a mirror and vase full of flowers.
  • Painting of a man with holding hands with a lady in a forest setting. He stands under a tree and a dog stands at their feet.
  • A neckpiece made of silver gilt, painted enamel, pearls and opals.
  • A blue fabric bed cover with moon, owl, birds and leaves.
  • An open book featuring illustrated text reading The Words of Geoffrey Chaucer now newly imprinted'.
  • A chalk drawing of a lady in a white dress holding a feather and fan.
  • Printed linen with a design feaeturing flowers leaves in pale black-blue, blue, pink and green.

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Videos

Explore our playlist of short videos relating to Victorian Radicals. See behind-the-scenes footage of the exhibition setup, interviews with curators, talks from guest speakers such as art historian Kirsty Stonnell Walker, and much more.

Click the playlist button on the top right hand side to see all videos.

Do check back here as we will continue to add new content, or connect with us on our social media for the latest updates.

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