A drapery study for ‘The Love Potion’ 

Evelyn De Morgan made this drapery study in the late 19th or early 20th century with chalk on brown paper. As a preparatory drawing for her painting ‘The Love Potion,’ this study offers insight into the academic methods of Victorian art institutions and the cultural narratives they reinforced. The intense focus on drapery reflects the period's emphasis on classical traditions and technical skill. De Morgan, a student of the Slade School of Fine Art, uses a Renaissance technique of ‘disegno,’ a highly skilled drawing method, to demonstrate her mastery of form and detail. But while she was working within a traditional academic framework, she was also involved in the Arts and Crafts movement. De Morgan’s painting is a rich site for socio-historical analysis that shows the complex institutional and social structures that impacted her work. Primary sources, such as exhibition reviews, personal letters, and institutional records, can provide additional context for interpreting her artistic practice.