Ernest Normand

Who was Ernest Normand?

Ernest Normand was a notable painter in Victorian England. He painted history and orientalist paintings, and also undertook portraits. His work was influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites.

In 1884 he married the painter Henrietta Rae. They both painted the nude in lush settings, and were criticised for an apparent tendency towards an excess of sensuality in some of their paintings. He and his wife were based in London from the early 1890s, where he had his studio and received support from the circle around Lord Leighton.

Normand painted the "King John Granting the Magna Carta" fresco at the Royal Exchange in London.