Sibling Rivalry

An online alert from the Brontë Birthplace:

Online Monthly Talk: Sibling Rivalry: Unpacking the Art of Branwell Brontë with Dr Maebh O’Regan

Tuesday 22 September 2026  via Zoom  at 18.30

Dr Maebh O’ Regan’s talk examines the art of Branwell Brontë, with special focus on his process and practice. Collaboration and rivalry were the driving forces behind the Brontë siblings’ creative endeavours, but given the Victorian construction of masculinity, where the male was the breadwinner and, in every way superior to the female, Branwell had his limitations.

Charlotte was the first member of the Brontë family to achieve success as a visual artist. In 1834 she had two drawings accepted for the summer exhibition in the Royal Society for Encouragement of the Fine Arts in Leeds, and these architectural landscapes were displayed in company with the work of such established artists as J. M.W. Turner.

1834 was also the year when Emily and Anne joined forces creating their first diary paper in visual and verbal format.

Branwell’s initial work in oils, The Brontë Sister’s Portrait, also known as The Pillar Portrait, was painted the same year. It’s first critic, Mrs Gaskell, deemed it to be, ‘not much better than a sign painting as to manipulation, but the likenesses were admirable.’  Much of the negative criticism regarding Branwell’s work derives from a lack of understanding of the materials and methods available to a Victorian artist. However, The Pillar Portrait continues to be one of the most popular works in the British National Portrait Gallery. This mysterious painting raises many questions around its composition and content. Why did Charlotte deny the existence of The Pillar Portrait, and why is there no mention of this painting in their family correspondence? What prompted Arthur Bell Nicholls to remove it from its stretcher and to secrete it on top of a wardrobe at his home in Banagher, Ireland? And finally, why did the National Portrait Gallery decide not to restore the work before they put it on display?

To address these questions, it is necessary to explore Branwell’s artistic journey in light of the pedagogical standards of the day. The visual arts played a significant role in the lives of all of the Brontë children therefore, it is important to analyse Branwell’s artistic output in conjunction with his creative interaction with his siblings.