Jane Austen and Julia Margaret Cameron are two prominent figures of the 19th century who delved into the inner lives of women, one through fiction and the other via photography. Their rich legacies are celebrated at the Morgan Library & Museum with two parallel exhibitions: A Lively Mind: Jane Austen at 250 and Arresting Beauty: Julia Margaret Cameron. These exhibits draw from their visual and literary archives to highlight the historical significance and complexities of their contributions.
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Austen wrote amidst the constraints of strict gender roles and the rise of the British middle class. Her works vividly captured women’s desires and anxieties with precision, showcasing characters filled with suppressed longing and moral contemplation. A Lively Mind invites visitors into Austen’s world through displays of manuscripts, portraits, and period interiors that collectively evoke the atmosphere of her life and work.
Visitors encounter a recreation of Austen’s writing desk, complete with a quill and handwritten letters, set against leafy green wallpaper, evoking her home in Chawton, England. The exhibition also features translations of Pride and Prejudice, highlighting Austen’s global influence. Notably, Amy Sherald’s painting, inspired by a line from Austen’s work, underscores her lasting impact across cultures and centuries.
In a neighboring gallery, Arresting Beauty reveals the life and work of Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron. Renowned for her soft-focus, allegorical portraits, Cameron’s photographs capture tender moments and profound themes. Her portraits, such as those of Florence Fisher and Sir John Herschel, reflect Victorian interests in science and literature, while images like The Annunciation engage with religious narratives.
Cameron’s life was marked by personal losses and her work often mirrored these feelings. Her photographs, including those of anonymous plantation workers in Sri Lanka, highlight the complex dynamics of colonialism. Both Austen and Cameron were extraordinarily creative women, yet their legacies prompt reflection on the colonial structures that supported their work. These exhibitions invite us to reconsider the feminist narratives surrounding these figures, acknowledging the untold stories of marginalized women of their time.
