Georgiana Houghton: Spirit Drawings

Weird but beautiful exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery of work by Georgiana Houghton, a spiritualist and medium, who claimed her paintings were brought to her from the spirit world.

The works take a beautiful fluid abstract form which must have looked very strange to the pre-modernist eye. They are very colourful with thin lines which look jumbled but do form a focus point. Some also have dotted white lines giving a feathery effect. They are layered and have a very driven feel to them. They reminded me of Spirograph drawings.

Each picture had a detailed explanation written the back saying who Houghton was channelling in each picture including angels and Renaissance artists, Correggio and Titian are included here. She held an exhibition in 1871 and the catalogue for it is there. She attended that exhibition every day, I wonder if she has put in an appearance at this one!

Closes on 11 September 2016.

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