''The Art Journal'' was the most important British 19th-century

magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...

on art. It was founded in 1839 by Hodgson & Graves, print publishers, 6 Pall Mall, with the title ''Art Union Monthly Journal'' (or ''The Art Union''), the first issue of 750 copies appearing 15 February 1839. It was published in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

but its readership was global in reach.

History

Hodgson & Graves hired

Samuel Carter Hall Samuel Carter Hall (9 May 1800 – 11 March 1889) was an Irish-born Victorian journalist who is best known for his editorship of ''The Art Journal'' and for his much-satirised personality. Early years Hall was born at the Geneva Barracks in Wat ...

as editor of ''Art Union Monthly Journal'', assisted by

James Dafforne James Dafforne (29 April 1804 – 5 June 1880) was a British journalist, known for his art criticism in ''The Art Journal''. Life He was for 35 years a contributor to ''The Art Journal'', joining the staff in 1845, and writing for it till his d ...

. Hall soon became the principal proprietor, but he was unable to turn a profit on his own. The London publisher George Virtue bought a share of the business in 1848, with Hall remaining as editor, and they renamed the periodical ''The Art Journal'' in 1849. In 1851, as part of the "

Great Exhibition The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, also known as the Great Exhibition or the Crystal Palace Exhibition (in reference to the temporary The Crystal Palace, structure in which it was held), was an International Exhib ...

" of that year, ''The Art Journal'' featured Hall's engravings of 150 pictures from the private collections of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

and Prince Albert. Although this project was popular, the publication remained unprofitable, forcing Hall to sell his share of the journal to Virtue, while staying on as editor. In 1852, the journal finally turned a profit. As editor, Hall exposed the profits that custom-houses were earning on the import of

Old Master In art history, "Old Master" (or "old master")Old Masters De ...

s, and showed how paintings were manufactured in England. ''The Art Journal'' became noted for its honest portrayal of the fine arts, and its opposition to fake and mis-attributed Old Masters, such as many claimed to be by

Raphael Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. List of works by Raphael, His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of ...

and

Titian Tiziano Vecelli or Vecellio (; 27 August 1576), known in English as Titian ( ), was an Italians, Italian (Republic of Venice, Venetian) painter of the Renaissance, considered the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school (art), ...

, depressed the market in such works. The early issues of the magazine, published monthly, strongly supported the artists of

The Clique A clique is a close social group. Clique or The Clique may also refer to: Math and computing * Clique (graph theory) ** Clique problem in computer science Business and brands * Clique (vodka), a Latvian vodka sold in the United States Entertai ...

, and after 1850 it became associated with opposition to the emerging

Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (later known as the Pre-Raphaelites) was a group of English painters, poets, and art critics, founded in 1848 by William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Michael Rossetti, James ...

(PRB), which Hall considered to be a reactionary movement. Its articles attacked the PRB and its supporter

John Ruskin John Ruskin (8 February 1819 20 January 1900) was an English writer, philosopher, art critic and polymath of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as geology, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, botany and politi ...

. After Hall's retirement in 1880, the journal changed its position, and faced strong competition from the ''

Magazine of Art A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combination ...

'' and the changing public taste influenced by

Impressionism Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement characterized by relatively small, thin, yet visible brush strokes, open Composition (visual arts), composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating ...

. Neither magazine was able to survive: the ''Magazine of Art'' ceased publication in 1904, and ''The Art Journal'' in 1912. An American edition of ''The Art Journal'' was published in New York from 1881 to 1887 by D. Appleton & Co. The publication has been referred to, at various times, as ''London Art Journal'' and ''Art-Journal''.

Editorship

Contributors

''The Art Journals most notable essayists included

Ralph Nicholson Wornum Ralph Nicholson Wornum (1812–1877) was a British artist, art historian and administrator. He was Keeper and Secretary of the National Gallery of London from 1855 until his death. Early life He was the son of Robert Wornum the pianoforte make ...

, Thomas Wright,

Frederick William Fairholt Frederick William Fairholt (1814 – 3 April 1866) was an English antiquarian, antiquary and wood-engraver. Early life Fairholt was born in London. His father, who was of a German family (the name was originally Fahrholz), was a tobacco manufac ...

Edward Lewes Cutts Edward Lewes Cutts was an English writer, antiquarian and curate, specialising in archaeology and the study of ecclesiastical history. Life and church career Cutts was born on 2 March 1824 in Sheffield. He was the son of John Priston Cutts, ...

, and

Llewellynn Jewitt Llewellynn Frederick William Jewitt (or Llewellyn) (24 November 1816 – 5 June 1886) was a British illustrator, engraver, natural scientist and author of ''The Ceramic Art of Great Britain'' (1878). His output was prodigious and covered a l ...

Richard Austin Artlett Richard Austin Artlett (9 November 1807 – 1 September 1873) was a British engraver and painter. He was a pupil of Robert Cooper, and then of James Thomson. Works Artlett engraved in the dotted manner. He carried out some figure-subjects, ...

supplied a long series of engraved plates of sculpture.

References

The Art Journal archive at HathiTrust
{{DEFAULTSORT:Art Journal Visual arts magazines published in the United Kingdom Defunct magazines published in the United Kingdom Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood Magazines established in 1839 Magazines disestablished in 1912 Magazines published in London Monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom