Who painted Jewels - At the Great Exhibition?

Jewels - At the Great Exhibition was painted by George Louis Palmella Busson Du Maurier in 1862.

Where can I see Jewels - At the Great Exhibition?

Jewels - At the Great Exhibition is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Jewels - At the Great Exhibition?

Jewels - At the Great Exhibition is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Jewels - At the Great Exhibition

George Louis Palmella Busson Du Maurier , 1862

Jewels - At the Great Exhibition is a print by the Impressionist artist George Louis Palmella Busson Du Maurier. It dates from 1862 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1862 by the French‑British illustrator George Louis Palmella Busson du Maurier, this print captures a moment from London’s Great Exhibition of that year. The work records a bustling interior where visitors gather around a glass display, illustrating the public fascination with exotic and valuable objects during the Victorian era.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on a glass case holding a necklace, its surface reflecting a woman’s face as she presents the jewel. Around the case, a crowd leans forward, some touching the glass, others conversing, conveying the collective curiosity and desire evoked by precious adornments.

Technique & Style

Executed in a sketchy, linear style, du Maurier employs swift lines and minimal shading to convey movement and density of the crowd. The emphasis on gesture and the interplay of reflected light within the glass case demonstrates his skill in rendering lively social scenes with economical draftsmanship.

Context

The Great Exhibition of 1862 was an international showcase of industry, art, and culture, attracting millions of visitors to the Crystal Palace. Du Maurier’s illustration reflects the Victorian public’s enthusiasm for technological progress and the spectacle of foreign displays, as indicated by the banner labeling the exhibit as “Nederland/Netherlands.”

History & Provenance

The print is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is held as an example of du Maurier’s early illustrative work before his later fame as a novelist and contributor to the satirical magazine Punch.