V & A forthcoming exhibition. The Cult of Beauty. Featured in the FT's How to spend it....

To see video go to www.howtospendit.com

The Cult of Beauty: The Aesthetic Movement 1860-1900

Sponsored by Bank of America Merrill Lynch

2 April - 17 July 2011

This is the first major exhibition to comprehensively explore Aestheticism, an extraordinary artistic movement which sought to escape the ugliness and materialism of the Victorian era by creating a new kind of art and beauty. It shows how Aesthetic artists, designers, poets and collectors promoted the idea of 'art for art's sake' and how the idea of the 'house beautiful' became a touchstone of cultured life.

Organised with the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco in collaboration with the Musée d'Orsay, Paris

• The Cult of Beauty - Exhibition Information

  
  The exhibition gathers together for the first time many of the greatest masterpieces of Victorian painting along with sculpture, design, furniture, architecture, fashion and literature. It includes iconic work by Burne-Jones, Whistler, Leighton, Rossetti, William Morris, Aubrey Beardsley and Oscar Wilde.
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  Find out ticket prices and how to book online, by phone or in person. Further information on exhibition opening times, late night opening, how to reach the V&A and access.

  go to  www.vam.ac.uk 
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• Assistant Curator, Esmé Whittaker documents the evolution of the V&A's spring 2011 exhibition which brings together many of the greatest Aesthetic paintings and finest decorative art of this extraordinary movement.

  
  

  For more go to the Creating The Cult of Beauty Blog

• The Cult of Beauty Events

   
• Talks, workshops, courses and family activities will take place around The Cult of Beauty exhibition.

• The Cult Of Beauty Competition

  
  To celebrate the The Cult of Beauty exhibition, The V&A, Liberty and The Kensington Hotel, are offering the chance to win an exclusive shopping and spa weekend for two in London.
  for more information and to enter, go to...
  http://www.vam.ac.uk/things-to-do/competitions/cult-beauty-competition