I’ve seen Pre-Raphaelite paintings of women dismissed as ‘languid’ or ‘vapid’ and many critics view them as sensual images created solely for the male gaze.…
Today marks the anniversary of the death of Pre-Raphaelite model Fanny Cornforth. She held an important place in the life of artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti,…
Our Halloween revelry is over and now we honor our ancestors with the Day of the Dead. Throughout Mexico and the Southwestern U.S., this is…
If you’re interested in studying the Victorian era seriously, then diaries and letters are important. At times I feel like a 21st-century snoop, devouring personal…
In 1858, artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti met Fanny Cornforth and she was unlike any model he had ever used. I don’t think that it is a coincidence…
I receive many positive emails through this blog because, for the most part, people in the world are great. The negative ones stand out, though,…
Like his Pre-Raphaelite brethren, Dante Gabriel Rossetti used live models in his works. Throughout the course of his career, the same faces grace his canvasses,…
Sir Edward Burne-Jones used Fanny Cornforth as a model for his unfinished painting, Hope, above. Although incomplete, it remains one of my favorite paintings of Fanny. As…
It is thrilling to see Fanny Cornforth in the news this week. You may remember that recently, #WombatFriday was devoted to the mystery of Fanny…
Marigolds were the first flowers I planted as a child. I have a distinct memory of my mother buying them and preparing the flower bed,…
