Book Review – Light and Love: The Extraordinary Developments of Julia Margaret Cameron and Mary Hillier

Kirsty Stonell Walker’s Light and Love: The Extraordinary Developments of Julia Margaret Cameron and Mary Hillier intriguingly explores how the gift of a camera transformed the lives of two women, one the lady of the house, the other her maid. Together they created a unique body of work that influenced countless generations of photographers. Julia … Read more

The Diaries of William Allingham

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 journals and private correspondence whenever I get the chance.  Through contemporary accounts, the past may not always come alive but it shines through the mist more clearly.  The diaries of … Read more

King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid

Sir Edward Burne-Jones’ painting King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid is based on the story of an African King who had never felt any attraction towards women until he spotted a beggar woman. In this tale of love at first sight, King Cophetua declares that despite her low social standing, she will be his queen. … Read more

Julia Margaret Cameron Exhibit

When Julia Margaret Cameron was given a camera on her 48th birthday, a passion was born.  The images she created are breathtaking, their composition is quite similar to the portraits painted by Rossetti and Burne-Jones.  Tennyson asked Cameron to photograph a series of photos to illustrate his Idylls of the King.  There is currently an … Read more

VICTORIAN VISIONS OF PHOTOGRAPHY AT LADY LEVER ART GALLERY

Via 24 Hour Museum: Exhibited from December 1 – March 16 2008, Victorian Visions features around 40 photographs  selected from the V&A collection for display.   The work of Julia Margaret Cameron will be included. The alluring and romantic world of late Victorian photography is the subject of a new exhibition at the Lady Lever Art … Read more