Myth and Reality: Contemporary Interpretations

See how contemporary artists have re-interpreted some of the iconic Victorian artworks on display in our Myth and Reality exhibition.

To celebrate the opening of Myth and Reality: Military Art in the Age of Queen Victoria, the National Army Museum commissioned a series of live art stunts to highlight key themes and works from the exhibition.

Actors in costume recreated scenes from three different paintings: a self-portrait of military artist Lady Elizabeth Butler on loan from the National Portrait Gallery; 'Dawn of Waterloo', one of Butler's most famous works; and 'Home Again' by Henry Nelson O’Neil.

Our commissioned artists:

• Lee Hybrid Desire is a portrait specialist who brings a fresh approach to Lady Butler’s portraiture.
• Olga Brown is a Ukrainian-born painter whose reimagining of 'Home Again' adds a modern-day twist to a Victorian classic.
• Alexandra Veres is a lifelong Lady Butler admirer and life-drawing aficionado. On-location sketches formed the basis of her re-interpretation of 'Dawn of Waterloo'.