Simeon Solomon exhibition
September 2005 to January 2006
Simeon Solomon exhibition
From October 2005 – Jan 2006, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery ran an exhibition of Simeon Solomon's (1840 – 1905) paintings. He influenced and was influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites, and was much admired until his reputation was ruined by a conviction for a cottaging offence at the age of 32, in 1872, and he spent the next 30 years shunned by both clients and curators and died in dire poverty.
Thought of today as a painter of Jewish life and worship, he also depicted Christian themes both Orthodox and Catholic, as well as scenes from the classical world so beloved by the Victorians.
Solomon is now widely regarded as both the first British Jewish painter and the first British ‘gay’ painter. His works were collected by Oscar Wilde but dispersed following Wilde’s own conviction.
By curating this centenary exhibition, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery has helped restore this gay artist to his rightful place as a significant painter of the Victorian period. Indeed in recent years the curators of Birmingham’s Art Gallery have taken advantage of the neglect of Solomon’s art by purchasing his works to add to their Pre-Raphaelite collection whenever they appeared on the market. 
Based on an article from the Lesbian and Gay Christians newsletter Spring 2006
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