Sara Kwiecinski

Commemorating Great Men: the Artist¿s Studio As a Shrine, 1860-1890 Sara Kwiecinski

The purpose of this research is to discuss the emergence of the cult of the artist's studio in the Late Victorian period. By focusing on specific examples, such as Leighton House in London, and the Watts Gallery in Compton, the objective will be to determine their status as shrines, through the analysis of five key factors, subdivided in distinct categories. The consideration of these texts will allow for a discussion of the function of the studio during the artist's lifetime, and the question of its preservation. In the light of important social cultural and historical theories, I shall argue that the Victorian "studio-home" as it was often referred to, is not merely an example of a beautiful house, but an embodiment of a wide range of issues. Its ability to reflect such questions will form the basis of its status as a memorial to the great men of that period.