Love Revealed?

The London Jewish Museum of Art's Ben Uri Gallery is showing a biggie, organised by Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery: Love Revealed: Simeon Solomon and the Pre-Raphaelites. I'm late with this news, which I discovered purely by chance. The exhibition began in September and continues until 26 November 2006. Like the exhibition itself, Simeon Solomon had escaped my attention. He was a member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, one of my favourite art movements. His obscurity is due to his disgrace. He was caught in a public loo with a live one up the Khyber Pass (Cockney rhyming slang, pronounced parse; just drop the "p")! Even in today's enlightened times, it is illegal to do this sort of thing in a public place. And to be caught at it twice! Disgraced, Simeon hit the bottle and died in the workhouse, a sad fate for anyone, but tragic for an artist who created this sublime study of Sappho. Click the title link for the full story and more piccies. Admission charge £5.00 or £3.00 for silver surfers.