1913 Pre-Raphaelites, Aesthetes, Impressionists and Chelsea’s Riverside: a guided tour of Chelsea Embankment artists’ houses and studios

Led by Joanna Banham. Until the 1870s, Chelsea’s riverside was modest, down-at-heel and malodorous, bookended by the infamous Cremorne Gardens at one end and the even more notorious Millbank Prison at the other. But while the area was shunned by respectable society, its appeal for artists was considerable. Many were drawn to the effects of light on water, and the picturesque inns and taverns perched on the riverfront - both rich sources of potential subjects. Others liked the relative obscurity of a neighbourhood that was still no more than a few miles from the West End. And all were attracted by the combination of relatively spacious accommodation and cheap rents. This walk explores the people and places associated with Chelsea’s riverside, from the early pioneers in the 1840s, to the Pre-Raphaelite invasion in the 1860s and the Aesthetic and Impressionist take-over after the development of the Embankment in the 1870s. It begins at the south end of Beaufort Street and ends at the north end of Tite Street, charting the presence of artists from Turner to John Singer Sargent. Meet outside Chelsea Old Church at the corner of Old Church Street and the Embankment SW3 5DQ. Tube: Sloane Square or South Kensington. £15. Booking required.*