“The Confidante” (1865) by William Gale, 1823-1909

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The Confidante

William Gale, 1823-1909

1857

Oil on mahogany

Support: 248 x 171mm; frame: 442 x 360 x 46mm

Collection: Tate, ref. T00045

The Art-Journal critic, James Dafforne, thought that this shows "two young ladies, in a woody landscape, in earnest conversation (373-74). But the Tate reads it a bit differently, and there might be more here than first meets the eye. [Commentary continues below. Mouse over the text for links.]

Image acquisition and text by Jacqueline Banerjee.

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According to the Tate gallery label of 2007, "in fact they seem to be looking at an engagement ring. The title and the location of their meeting implies that the recent betrothal had to be kept secret. Narrative paintings of love and romance were very popular in the Victorian period, fuelled by love stories such as The Angel in the House by Coventry Patmore. The need to marry was particularly pressing for women who were financially dependent on men; they faced becoming social outcasts if they were unfaithful." There is no suggestion here that one of the young women might be "unfaithful," so the problem would probably lie with parental approval. Gale painted many historical subjects, and (looking at the white rose in the hair of the woman with the shawl, and the her confidante's broad-brimmed hat with its red feather), this might be set in the time of the Civil War.

Bibliography

Dafforne, James. "British Artists: Their Style and Character, with Engraved Illustrations. LXXXIX. — William Gale." The Art-Journal, Vol. 31 (1869). London: Virtue & Co. 373-75. Internet Archive. Contributed by the Getty Research Institute. Web. 5 March 2019.

"William Gale: The Confidante." Tate. Web. 5 March 2019.

Created 4 March 2019