The Laboratory (1895 CE)

John Collier’s The Laboratory (1895) is a mesmerizing oil painting that immerses viewers in a gothic tale of vengeance and moral ambiguity, firmly rooted in the Pre-Raphaelite tradition. As a “problem picture,” it tantalizes with its enigmatic narrative, depicting a calculating woman and an alchemist crafting a deadly poison under the glow of firelight. The work’s dramatic composition and psychological depth provoke speculation, drawing audiences into a shadowy world where beauty conceals sinister intent.

Painted in 1895 by British artist John Maler Collier (1850–1934), The Laboratory emerged during the height of Victorian fascination with gothic literature and moral complexity. Collier, a celebrated portraitist and Pre-Raphaelite painter, drew inspiration from two potent sources. The first is Robert Browning’s 1844 poem The Laboratory, a chilling dramatic monologue in which a spurned woman, consumed by jealousy, visits an alchemist to concoct a poison to kill her husband’s mistress. The poem’s vivid imagery and psychological intensity provided Collier with a rich narrative foundation. The second influence is the historical figure Marie-Madeleine d’Aubray, Marquise de Brinvilliers (1630–1676), a French aristocrat notorious for poisoning her father, brothers, and attempting to murder her husband to secure an inheritance. Her crimes, exposed in 1676, ignited the Affair of the Poisons, a scandal that rocked Louis XIV’s court with allegations of murder and witchcraft among the elite. Collier’s painting weaves these threads into a visual story that captures the Victorian era’s obsession with dangerous women and forbidden knowledge. First unveiled at The New Gallery in London in 1895, the painting became a succès de scandale, its provocative subject matter sparking debate. It later appeared at The Christopher Wood Gallery in 1984 and was acquired in 2023 by The Arts of Imagination Foundation in Los Angeles.

While specific tales from the painting’s creation are elusive, its rumored model, Mab Paul (1873–1931), a statuesque British actress over 180 cm tall, adds a layer of intrigue. Her commanding presence likely shaped the portrayal of the femme fatale, whose steely gaze and poised demeanor dominate the canvas. At its 1895 debut, The Laboratory stirred controversy, with Victorian critics marveling at Collier’s masterful lighting while grappling with the unsettling depiction of a vengeful woman. The painting’s ability to provoke discourse reflects its role as a cultural lightning rod, mirroring societal anxieties about women’s growing agency amid the feminist movement.

The Laboratory stands as a pinnacle of the “problem picture” genre, a Victorian phenomenon that invited viewers to debate the moral choices of its characters. By presenting a woman driven by vengeance, Collier tapped into the gothic revival’s allure, presaging works like Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897). The painting’s femme fatale archetype—a seductive yet perilous figure—mirrors cultural tensions surrounding the rise of feminism, as women advocating for suffrage and equality were often cast as threats to traditional order. Within the Pre-Raphaelite tradition, Collier’s work blends meticulous detail with psychological complexity, creating a narrative that transcends its era. Its enduring relevance is evident in its 2023 acquisition by The Arts of Imagination Foundation, which views it as a timeless exploration of power, revenge, and human nature.

Crafted in oil on canvas, The Laboratory measures 157.8 x 122.6 cm (62 1/8 x 48 ¼ inches), its substantial size amplifying the intensity of its intimate scene. Collier’s composition centers on two figures—the vengeful woman and the alchemist—set against a smoky, dimly lit laboratory cluttered with ancient books and alchemical tools. The painting’s gothic atmosphere is heightened by a masterful interplay of light and shadow, with warm, flickering firelight casting an eerie glow across the figures’ faces, accentuating their expressions of determination and cynicism. This dramatic chiaroscuro, reminiscent of stage lighting, was hailed by 1895 critics as “remarkable,” lending the scene a theatrical vibrancy. The color palette juxtaposes the fiery oranges and reds of the flame with the dark, earthy tones of the laboratory, evoking both allure and menace. Swirling smoke weaves through the composition, adding a tactile sense of mystery and claustrophobia. 

Following its sensational debut at The New Gallery in London in 1895, The Laboratory remained in private collections, resurfacing for exhibitions such as at The Christopher Wood Gallery in 1984. Its journey culminated in 2023, when The Arts of Imagination Foundation in Los Angeles acquired it via a private sale brokered by Christie’s, New York. Now part of the foundation’s permanent collection, the painting is celebrated for its historical and artistic significance.