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No choice?, c. 1850 (oil on canvas)
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No choice?, c. 1850 (oil on canvas)
2956903 No choice?, c.1850 (oil on canvas) by Grant, William James (1829-66) (attr. to); 30.48x26.67 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Most of Grants work is of subjects from history, but he also painted early Victorian social realism, particularly the plight of compromised women. He died young, at the age of 37. In this painting of about 1850 a distraught young woman with unkempt hair and a once clean dress has apparently reached the end of a hard road, probably in the complex of arches under the Adelphi buildings by the River Thames in St Martin in the Fields in London. In the grand houses above lived the great and the good, but under the arches that supported them above the river lurked the homeless and the desperate. The girl holds her crucifix, a last symbol of hope, while the river beyond beckons....); Photo eThe Ms Gallery, London; English, out of copyright
Media ID 22528850
© The Maas Gallery, London / Bridgeman Images
Choice Desperate Desperation Direct Gaze Distraught Homeless Homelessness Hope Hopeless Moral Nocturne Ragged Social Realism Spirituality Suicidal Suicide Dispossessed Social History
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No Choice?
EDITORS COMMENTS
is a poignant and haunting painting by William James Grant, dating back to around 1850. The artwork captures the despair of a young woman who appears to have reached the end of her arduous journey. With disheveled hair and tattered clothing, she stands in the arches beneath London's Adelphi buildings, near the River Thames. Grant was known for his historical subjects but also delved into early Victorian social realism, shedding light on the plight of compromised women. In this particular piece, he exposes the stark contrast between those living in opulent houses above and those struggling below. The girl clutches a crucifix tightly as her last symbol of hope while being drawn towards the beckoning river beyond. Her direct gaze reflects both desperation and spirituality intertwined. The painting raises questions about choices or lack thereof that may have led her to this point. This evocative composition serves as a reminder of societal issues such as homelessness and moral dilemmas faced by marginalized individuals during that era. Grant's untimely death at just 37 years old adds an additional layer of tragedy to his body of work. Through "No Choice?", Grant invites viewers to contemplate themes like faith, despair, and human vulnerability within Victorian England's social fabric. This powerful image continues to resonate with audiences today due to its timeless portrayal of human struggle against seemingly insurmountable odds.
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