‘Introducing Art in the Victorian Parlour’: In-Person 3-D Talk, Surrey, UK

Join photo historians and curators Denis Pellerin and Rebecca Sharpe, from the Brian May Archive of Stereoscopy (BMAS), at Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village, Compton, Surrey, UK, on Tuesday 23rd January 2024 for a 3-D talk and the chance to access BMAS’s handling collection.

You will be shown not only how the Victorians cleverly introduced art in their parlours, thanks to what the press at the time called ‘The optical wonder of the age’, namely the Stereoscope, but also how the same instrument helped preserve our knowledge of Victorian painting. The talk will be illustrated with numerous 3-D examples of how and why Victorian photographers decided to stage for the stereoscope some of the most famous paintings of the time.

You’ll also be able to get hands-on with Victorian and modern stereoscopes and stereoscopic photographs in the BMAS handling collection, to experience the optical wonder for yourself.

Please note the ‘Victorian Virtual Reality’ exhibition is closed whilst conservation work is carried out in the Historic Galleries, and during this closure, admission to the rest of the Village is half price.

Date and time: Tuesday 23rd January 2024, 2-3pm

Location: Clore Learning Studio (Limnerslease), Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village, Down Lane, Compton, Surrey, GU3 1DQ

Price and booking: £6 per person (Members and students £5.40) https://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/events/introducing-art-in-the-victorian-parlour