Victorian England was a time when proper upper class manners were being challenged by a quickly growing middle class. A diverse group of new artists began to assert themselves offering new definitions of the aesthetics of art and beauty. Over 180 objects of avant-garde design and art from Victorian England have been collected inside the Legion of Honours New Exhibition, the Cult of Beauty. The Art of Art There was this group of artists that were not only revolutionaries in their artistic expression but also in their personal lives and their interest in democratizing art and introducing beauty into the growing middle class. One of the inspirations for the Victorian avant-garde was the Industrial Revolution, quality household goods were now being mass-produced. Artists responded by either creating elaborate unique work or by embracing technology and trying to share beautiful creations with as many people as possible. William Morris was in a difficult position because he wanted the middle class to be able to acquire really beautifully made objects. But the pieces that he actually made took so much hand crafting that they were quite expensive. I think he would have been pleased to know that there are things like restoration hardware and Creighton Barrel that try to make available to the middle class things that are well-formed, elegant shapes and good materials. Over 50 lenders contributed art and craft to the Cult of Beauty exhibition. One of the partners is London's Victoria and Albert Museum, which has been collecting the finest examples of Victorian craft since Queen Victoria herself attended the Museum's groundbreaking ceremony. The artists of the Victorian avant-garde believe that every object could contain an expression of beauty. The attention given when creating a towering sculpture should be the same as when creating a simple cottage gate. The aesthetics embraced art for art's own sake, whether in the curl of a flower or a stray lock of unpinned hair. Surprisingly, sensuality returned to public view during the Victorian era. Albert Moore, Rosetti and Frederick Layton were inspired by ancient Greek sculptures and found their new muses in modern times. Many of the paintings are large and when you get up close to them, they just seem to wrap you in this flushes color. There's a great sensuality to the paintings even though there's nothing sexual going on in the pictures. The artist just took delight in luxurious fabrics and colors and beautiful women. Symphony in White is a life-sized portrait of remisteress of James Whistler. The controversial painter is featured prominently in the Cult of Beauty exhibition. Harmony in Grey and Green was initially judged as a disagreeable presentation of a disagreeable young lady. And the first public reaction to the Nocturne series was so divisive that it led to court proceedings. Today, they hang in London's Tate Gallery. Walking through the Cult of Beauty exhibition, you might be distracted by objects that seem too modern or appear to be at least art deco-era. Forward-thinking Victorian artists merge the economical ambitions of 18th-century cottage-style furniture with the asymmetrical design elements of Japanese art that were introduced to London in 1862. And so you come out with these very beautifully, sleekly designed forms that the artist combines with the new processes of manufacture to bring things up very modern. Our visitors are really surprised that so many of the works have a very modern feel to them. The aesthetics believe that no object needed to be considered worthless or low class. Each thing, existing in its own place, was the best thing for its place. And what it first seems to be idle show-iness, actually strengthens and supports the richness of the rest of our todays and yesterdays. It's so exciting to have a project that you have worked on for so long, you know, come to your own museum. And museum curators are among the luckiest professionals because we get to share with tens of thousands of people the things that give us joy. And the things that explain to our visitors the relationship between art and society. Art isn't just a frivolous, you know, sidebar. It's a very important expression of culture and morals. And this particular moment, the artists were interested in beauty. San Francisco is the exclusive American host for the Cult of Beauty exhibition. The Legion of Honor's website has more information about the artists of the Victorian avant-garde and tips for planning your visit. Learn more at Legion of Honor slash FAMSF.org. Thanks for watching CultureWire on SFGugTV.