The Mourners 1916

How have artists responded to their social contexts? Evelyn de Morgan (1855-1919) is known for her ethereal and dreamlike paintings, many of which responded to the First World War. ‘The Mourners’ is an oil painting completed in 1916, just two years after the outbreak of World War I. The work exemplifies De Morgan’s pacificist, anti-war stance which she channelled into her art. The composition of ‘The Mourners’ is divided both physically and symbolically. In the foreground, De Morgan has depicted a group of four distressed women. Three of the women raise their arms in expressive gestures, as if they are lamenting. The other woman is seated at the centre of the canvas. She looks to the floor, head bent in misery and weariness. All of the women wear ragged clothing in gloomy tones. Their dresses are torn and ripped, clearly symbolising the external destructions of war. ✂️ In the background, De Morgan has painted a fantastic floating orb. Rings of multicoloured light emanate from the sphere, evoking the natural beauty of a rainbow. Framed by these whirls of light is a dreamlike scene, consisting of joyful figures in a beautiful landscape. The pleasant pastel colour palette and golden tones of the background is juxtaposed with the overwhelming darkness of the rocky landscape where the women grieve. 🌋 What might the artist be communicating to the viewer in this painting? De Morgan herself stated that she intended the painting to symbolise the past joys of life before the outbreak of conflict. Evelyn De Morgan was among the first women to study at the Slade School of Art in London. Unusually for the time, the school encouraged its women students to sketch from live models. She changed her name from Mary to Evelyn shortly after completing her studies, believing that a gender ambiguous name would benefit her career and result in increased sales. What does this decision suggest about the status of women artists in the late nineteenth century? 💭 The artist was influenced by both the Italian Renaissance and the nineteenth-century Pre-Raphaelites. Do any aspects of this painting remind you of the Renaissance style? 👇 ‘The Mourners’ was openly exhibited in Evelyn De Morgan’s studio, where she raised funds for the humanitarian charity The Red Cross. She is currently the subject of a major exhibition in the Guildhall Art Gallery, London. Editor: Lucy Jude Grantham