Existing comment:
The Souls
The social group known as the Souls included some thirty young men and women from aristocratic British families. Repulsed by what they saw as the mindless materialism of the late Victorian age, they met at weekend house parties for intellectual pursuits, ranging from brain-teasing games to serious-minded discussion. Their deep engagement with issues of morality, religion, art, and literature was intended as a rebuke to the frivolous pursuits more typical of the elite, such as gambling, hunting, and racing. But their earnestness was often mocked by outsiders. One scoffed that the friends passed their time talking about each other's souls, thus providing their moniker.
The Souls prided themselves on the progressive inclusivity of their social gatherings. Political differences were accepted, and the women participated on an equal footing with the men. Several female members distinguished themselves through unconventional dress and a taste for avant-garde art and literature. For a time, their glamorous example made it fashionable for women to be well-read and to attend academic lectures. Sargent, who became the group's unofficial portraitist, made charcoal portraits of many of these exceptional women, several of which are on display here. |