Midsummer, by Albert Joseph Moore, ARWS (1841-1893). 1887. Oil on canvas. 61 x 58 1/2 inches (155 x 148.5 cm). Collection of the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, Bournemouth, accession no. BORGM 01536, via Art UK under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence (CC BY-NC-ND). [Click on the image to enlarge it.]
Midsummer is considered another of Moore's masterpieces and was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1887, no. 394, where it made a sensation and was one of the major attractions along with John Singer Sargent's Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose. In 1888 it was exhibited at the Glasgow International Exhibition. A.L. Baldry has described it as "an astonishing display of vigorous colour and powerful design" (60). The design features three classically attired maidens in translucent white gowns overlaid with an intense, deep orange drapery. The central dark-haired young woman sits half asleep, her head turned to her right, on a silver throne with a raised dais and with her arms resting on the armrests. The throne is festooned on the top with saffron-yellow flowers. Although marigolds can symbolize grief in the language of flowers, these were likely chosen merely for their decorative effects. To the seated figure's right and left are fair-haired handmaidens seen in profile and holding green fans in their hands with which they are fanning the principal figure. The two are symmetrical and almost mirror images of each other. Gregory Hedberg has suggested that "the hierarchical character of the enthroned figure and attendants suggests the central figure is someone to be revered if not worshipped" (153). The background is a wall of black marble or slate, with a carved green marble base, an unusual choice in Moore's oeuvre, but one which definitely serves to bring out the richness of the orange drapery of the figures.
Robyn Asleson felt this work was suggestive of
the sultry languor of an afternoon in July. The brilliant orange of the women's outer drapery creates an impression of scorching heat and dazzling light that is accentuated by the contrasting green tint of the fans and the cool silvers and greys of the setting. The chromatic exuberance of the drapery is matched by the stylistic richness of the surroundings, which feature a Moorish chest inlaid with mother-of-pearl, a marble bench modelled on Italian sarcophagi, and a Northern European throne of silver, ornamented with peacocks' heads and acanthus leaves. Imposing order on this profusion, the quasi-architectonic, post-and-lintel structure of the painting establishes a sense of stasis appropriate to the restful theme. [180]
In terms of the painting's composition, Asleson speculated that ancient Greek funerary lekythoi and grave stelai influenced the central motif of a classically draped seated figure flanked by attendants in profile. She also wondered if Moore's deteriorating health could allow this mysterious tribute to the transience of the seasons to be interpreted as a meditation on human mortality (182). As Anne Helmreich has pointed out, this seemingly simple arrangement of the three figures in a square format has once again been organized according to a complex series of geometric lines: "The columnar bodies of the women create vertical divisions in the canvas that are counterbalanced by the horizontal divisions in the room, marked by the carpet, floor, tiles, stone bench, and architrave" (184).
Moore used the central figure of the maiden on the throne in this composition, with major modifications in the colour scheme, background, and accessories, as the basis for A Reverie, which he exhibited at the New Gallery in 1892. In this picture the girl is awake and holds a fan in her right hand. Robin Gibson has speculated that Midsummer, with its bright orange colouring and sleeping figure, may have inspired Frederic Leighton's late masterpiece Flaming June of 1895 (888).
Contemporary Reviews of the Painting
Engraving from the Magazine of Art, Walker 361. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]
Midsummer was not surprisingly extensively reviewed when it appeared at the Royal Academy as befitting its importance. Claude Philips in The Academy found the painting laudable despite his concern about the overwhelming effect of the orange draperies of the figures:
Mr. Albert Moore's daring and ambitious piece of decoration, Midsummer, in which three Anglo-Greek damsels, clad in voluminous draperies of the most brilliant orange, are placed against a background of the most uncompromising slate, the one occupying the centre of the composition being seated on a splendid silver throne, and the hues of the decoration being further brought together by paler yellow garlands of flowers, by yellowish-green fans, and other kindred accessories, such as the painter affects. It is possible that, were the work seen under other conditions, its decorative effect might be different and more agreeable; as it is, not-withstanding the many subtleties with the aid of which the painter has sought to harmonize his main masses of colour, the vast, almost interrupted, expanse of orange-draperies, is – seeing the proportion it bears to the rest of the picture – in far too stringent contrast with the flat opaque slate tints which are the foundation of the combination, and this effect is insufficiently corrected by the sparkling silver-grey tones of the central throne, or by the numerous gradations of yellow and green included in the scheme. None the less is the work a laudable and skilful effort in a direction in which the painter has few rivals or followers. [369)
The first mention in The Artist of Midsummer was to complain about the inharmonious manner in which this picture had been hung next to unsympathetic works: "One of the best pictures in the show, Mr. Albert Moore's Midsummer, has been surrounded with a carefully selected array of canvases in which the dominant hue has absolutely no relation to the central work. The juxtaposition of crude rose pink with the strongest orange does not sound harmonious, and it looks worse than it sounds. And this is not a solitary example" (148). The critic for The Artist considered Midsummer the "work of honour" of the exhibition:
Here, at all events, there is no one to dispute for the place of honour with Mr. Albert Moore, who may be considered as almost the only artist living at the present time who possesses the true decorative instinct. In knowledge of decorative essentials, in sensitive appreciation of colour variation and harmony, in feeling for line composition and balance, and, most important of all, in correct judgment of the proper relation between surfaces and areas of colour, he has no equal and few competitors. His Midsummer is an altogether adequate example of his powers. It is in some respects more than usually interesting, for it is characterised by greater force and audacity of hue than is ordinarily found in his work. It may be described as a scheme of strong orange, black, and green, with occasional variations of white, grey, and pale yellow, a combination presenting many difficulties. Mr. Moore has, however, solved the problem, and has added one more to the list of his successes (164].
The Artist also quoted the opinion of The Sunday Times in its Collated Opinions on the Royal Academy section: "Among the 'outsiders,' Mr. Albert Moore still puts the majority of the Academicians to shame by the beauty and purity of his art. His Midsummer is a daringly beautiful picture, in which he has harmonised brilliant orange masses with green, yellow and silver. The design is severely simple and gracefully decorative" (173).
F.G. Stephens in The Athenaeum complained, however, that Moore was wasting his talent on these pseudo-classical decorative works:
Mr. A. Moore's picture of three damsels in orange and white, on a black and green background, is called Midsummer (394), because they are supposed to be very hot, and two of them fan the third, who is sleeping in a chair. The pseudo-classic forms of the women are such as Mr. Moore never departs from, although he has often drawn them much worse (and sometimes rather better). The colouration of this picture, although trivial and mannered, is pleasing. But why does not the artist rise above the merely decorative art to which he has long devoted himself, and abandon a style of design which suffices for little else than a fan or a paper-hanging? [708]
A reviewer for The Builder felt Moore achieved a "new effect in colour" in this picture: "three of his usual pretty but mindless damsels in orange-coloured scarves, one of them seated on a chair inlaid in white and black; the two standing figures hold green fans, a piquant note in colour; the background is a very dark green dado" (663). The Building News felt Moore's submission redeemed the exhibition from much that was mundane:
On the opposite wall hangs another decorative dream, if we may so term it, entitled Midsummer by A. Moore, whose tasteful and refined emblematic figure compositions are known to all. Midsummer is embodied in a lovely maiden enthroned, attended by two other maidens, equally beautiful – on each side – all clad in rich orange-coloured drapery, and relieved by a background of leaden hue. Above the head of Midsummer are hung wreaths of yellow flowers; the maidens use fans, the throne is of silver, elaborately wrought. The composition is symmetrically arranged, and the scheme of colouring strong and decorative. These two works redeem the gallery from much that is commonplace. [667]
The Illustrated London News felt the success of this work primarily rested on its colour: "Its proximity, however, to Mr. Albert Moore's solitary contribution, 'Midsummer' (396), relieves it from any danger of being thought garish. Mr. Moore's allegory represents three female figures in rich orange dresses holding green fans. Their faces are extremely lovely, and the poses far more easy than is always the case with Mr. Moore's classical studies. In this work it is by the colour rather than by the form that he hopes to make his effect, and, except for the unnecessary coldness of the background, the composition must be regarded as successful" (584). A critic for The Saturday Review also recognized a new departure in colour in this work: "In his 'Midsummer' (394) Mr. Moore has taken a somewhat new departure in colour, and his raw orange drapery in shapeless folds stands in rather coarse contrast to a scheme of silver grey" (686). The Spectator wrote that Midsummer was "a very delightful piece of decorative painting, artistic in its every touch, and admirable in the attainment of the desired purpose in the most direct way" (591).
Engraving scanned byGeorge P. Landow. You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you credit the the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, the Internet Archive and the University of Toronto Library. A link to, or citation of, the Victorian Web would be appreciated.
Bibliography
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Asleson, Robyn. Albert Moore. London: Phaidon, 2000. 180-82, 184.
Baldry, Alfred Lys. Albert Moore. His Life and Works. London: George Bell and Sons, 1893. 60-61.
Bills, Mark. A Victorian Salon. Paintings from the Russell-Cotes Museum. London: Lund Humphries, 1999, cat. 34, 69-70.
Blackburn, Henry. Academy Notes XIII (May 1887): 12.
"Collated Opinions on the Royal Academy." The Academy VIII (May-June 1887): 173.
"From Month to Month," The Artist VIII (1 May 1887): 148.
Gibson, Robin. "Albert Moore at Newcastle." The Burlington Magazine MXIV (December 1972): 887-88.
Green, Richard. Albert Moore and his Contemporaries. Newcastle Upon Tyne: Laing Art Gallery, 1972, cat. 70, 27.
Hedberg, Gregory. "Albert Moore." The Victorian High Renaissance. London: Lund Humphries, 1978, cat. 83, 153.
Helmreich, Anne. The Victorians. British Painting 1837-1901. Washington: National Gallery of Art, 1997, cat. 58, 184-185.
Midsummer. Art UK. Web. 5 October 2026.
"Oil Paintings at the Royal Academy." The Artist VIII (May-June 1887): 161-66.
Philips, Claude. "The Royal Academy." The Academy XXI (21 May 1887): 368-69.
"The Pictures at the Royal Academy." The Building News LII (6 May 1887): 665-67.
"The Royal Academy." The Builder LII (7 May 1887): 662-64.
"The Royal Academy." The Illustrated London News XC (21 May 1887): 584.
"The Royal Academy." The Saturday Review LXIII (14 May 1887): 685-86.
Stephens, Frederick George. "Fine Arts. The Royal Academy." The Athenaeum No. 3109 (28 May 1887): 708-10.
Walker, Robert. "Private Picture Collections in Glasgow and West of Scotland: Mr. William Connal's Collection of works by Albert Moore." Magazine of Art. 17 (December 1893-November 1894): 360-66. Internet Archive version of a copy in the University of Toronto Library. Web. 7 September 2013.
Created 7 September 2013
Last modified 5 October 2026