Apollo Magazine

Pre-Raphaelite Artist of Hope: Evelyn De Morgan

De Morgan’s staunch pacifism was reflected in her symbolic paintings and sketches, now on view at Towneley Hall in Burnley

Our Lady of Peace (detail; 1907), Evelyn De Morgan.

Our Lady of Peace (detail; 1907), Evelyn De Morgan. Courtesy the De Morgan Foundation; © De Morgan Collection

Best known for her association with the Pre-Raphaelites towards the end of the 19th century, Evelyn De Morgan was also a committed supporter of the women’s suffrage movement and, in her later years, a staunch pacifist. This exhibition at Towneley Hall in Burnley (17 July–31 December) features 45 of her symbolic paintings and drawings, all lent by the De Morgan Collection; a particular highlight is Our Lady of Peace (1907), painted in response to the Boer War and newly conserved for the exhibition. De Morgan’s work is displayed here alongside accounts of recent global conflict and of the pandemic, offered by Syrian refugees and NHS staff in Lancashire, among other local groups. Find out more from Towneley Hall’s website.

Preview below | View Apollo’s Art Diary here  

Evelyn De Morgan with her husband William (c. 1900). Courtesy the De Morgan Foundation; © De Morgan Collection

Night and Sleep (1878), Evelyn De Morgan. Courtesy the De Morgan Foundation; © De Morgan Collection

S.O.S (1914), Evelyn De Morgan. Courtesy the De Morgan Foundation; © De Morgan Collection

Study of a Boy for Our Lady of Peace (c. 1907), Evelyn De Morgan. Courtesy the De Morgan Foundation; © De Morgan Collection

Our Lady of Peace (1907), Evelyn De Morgan. Courtesy the De Morgan Foundation; © De Morgan Collection

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