Often I find that I prefer an artist’s studies to the completed work. Perhaps it is that they are raw beginnings, a hint of what is to come. Although usually I feel that a certain emotional quality is captured in the face of the model and somehow lost in translation when recreated in oils. Head … Read more
To the ancient Greeks, they were tears of the gods. My grandmother’s akoya pearls are the most precious piece of jewelry I own, beside my wedding ring. Apart from their sentimental value, they have a gorgeous lustre and have aged quite well. Pearls appear front and center in Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s Belcolore: And in Fanny … Read more
In my previous post about The Beloved, I mentioned the woman in the right area of the painting: For the woman on the right, Rossetti used a model named Keomi Gray. I’ve desperately searched for more information about her, but it’s quite difficult. There doesn’t seem to be much written about her and if anyone … Read more
Are you a Twitter user? The Pre-Raphaelite Society is commemorating the formation of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood by using a #PRBDay hashtag on September 8. You can follow The Pre-Raphaelite Society on Twitter at @PreRaphSoc and visit their website http://www.pre-raphaelitesociety.org/. Also, there is much excitement about the new Tate exhibit, Pre-Raphaelites: Victorian Avant-Garde. You can join … Read more
As mentioned previously, a new and improved edition of Stunner has been released into the wild. Stunner, the biography of model Fanny Cornforth, belongs on the shelf of all Pre-Raphaelite enthusiasts. Kirsty Stonell Walker has launched a contest to give away a signed copy of the book. She (and her daughter and chicken) has posed … Read more
I am excited to share that you may now purchase Kirsty Stonell Walker’s biography of Pre-Raphaelite model Fanny Cornforth. This is by far one of the best Pre-Raphaelite biographies I have ever read and it needs a home on your shelf. This is technically the second edition of Stunner, but even if you already own … Read more
February 11th is the 150th anniversary of Lizzie’s death. To commemorate this, Highgate Cemetery (Lizzie’s final resting place) is having a Talk at the cemetery on that day by Lucinda Hawksley, author of Lizzie Siddal: Face of the Pre-Raphaelites. Being in the U.S., I will not be able to attend but my ever-faithful friend Kirsty … Read more
I’ve spent years reading about the relationship between Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Elizabeth Siddal. One thing I’ve noticed through comments and emails I receive at lizziesiddal.com is that there are a lot of people who are so sympathetic towards Lizzie that they passionately hate Rossetti. When you learn about people, I think a story forms … Read more
Before Christmas, Kirsty Stonell Walker sent me her revised manuscript of Stunner to read. People, it is awesome. I’m not sure when the projected release date will be, but as soon as it is out I urge all Pre-Raphaelite enthusiasts to snap up a copy. Stunner is the first full-length biography of Pre-Raphaelite artist’s model … Read more
In order to delve deeper into my Pre-Raphaelite interest, I’ve decided to devote some time to reading works that inspired the Pre-Raphaelites. If you’d like to read along with me, I’d be delighted. I adore a good book discussion! My first selection is Sidonia the Sorceress. Unable to find a decently priced paperback, I’ve downloaded … Read more
I wanted to share this link with you because I know you will adore this blog as much as I do. It’s written by Kirsty Walker, who I deeply respect and admire. Kirsty is the author of the first full length biography of Pre-Raphaelite model Fanny Cornforth, which she is currently revising. Her new blog, … Read more
The infamous Borgia clan is once again generating interest thanks to a new series on Showtime. One of my favorite art history blogs, Three Pipe Problem, has an excellent post about the Borgia family and the new series. I missed last night’s debut, so I cannot offer an opinion on the production yet, but … Read more
After the previous post about the hair pin (also see this post at The Beautiful Necessity) I spent today collecting images of recurring jewelry in Rossetti paintings. So far I have: Rossetti adorned her hair with a lovely white rose and a piece of jewelry that has always looked like an earring (to my modern … Read more
The intricate pattern of Sidonia’s gown is amazing. Painted in 1860, Sidonia von Bork is an early watercolor by Burne-Jones and is based on the book Sidonia the Sorceress. Burne-Jones used model Fanny Cornforth (a Rossetti favorite) to portray Sidonia. We see her standing in profile, apparently lost in thought while plotting and scheming. In … Read more
This painting is yet another of Rossetti’s works that depicts a woman playing music. It is also Rossetti’s last major portrait of Fanny Cornforth. I love the blue and white tile background, which is also reminiscent of the blue and white china that Rossetti and others in his circle collected. I highly recommend The Rossetti … Read more
This page is a work in progress. If you have a sighting to add, please post a comment or post on the Pre-Raphaelite Sisterhood Facebook page, send me a tweet on twitter to @preraphsister, or email stephanie@siddal.net. I love Inspector Morse mysteries.I first saw them in the 90s on PBS Mystery! and later on the … Read more
Venus Verticordia, painting and poem both by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Alexa Wilding posed for the painting, although I’ve read that Rossetti also used Fanny Cornforth. Venus Verticordia She hath the apple in her hand for thee, Yet almost in her heart would hold it back; She muses, with her eyes upon the track Of that … Read more
It’s Wombat Friday and T-Dub sure is excited about his latest poolside read! Light and Love: The Extraordinary Developments of Julia Margaret Cameron and Mary Hillier by the ever-charming Kirsty Stonell Walker. Want to add some Pre-Raphaelite flavor to your summer reading? Here’s a Rossetti reading list based on books the artist enjoyed, and a … Read more
I’m honored to be a contributor in the latest edition of Enchanted Living magazine. This special Pre-Raphaelite issue is deliciously mesmerizing – just holding a physical copy of this lush work is a delight. It thrills me to be included in this issue, nestled among several dear friends. Kirsty Stonell Walker contributes In Search of … Read more
“Rossetti was the planet around which we revolved, we copied his way of speaking. All beautiful women were “stunners” with us. Wombats were the most beautiful of God’s creatures.”–artist Valentine Cameron Prinsep Wombat Friday began in 2013 when, in a moment of frivolity, I posted several pictures of wombats with cake and books in a … Read more
I’ve amassed quite a collection of Pre-Raphaelite books over the years and the addition of Pre-Raphaelite Girl Gang to my shelves adds something alive. It buzzes with energy and a sense that, just by reading it, we are tapping into a collective consciousness of artistic women whose endeavors richly deserve to be remembered and honored. When … Read more
The Grey Lady (1883) is an interesting work by Millais in which we see the ghost of a murdered woman. The staircase was taken from St. Mary’s Tower, Birnam, a building that has since been demolished but you can see photographs of it here taken in 1963. The artist’s son described the work in The … Read more
Jane Morris was swept into the Pre-Raphaelite world at age eighteen. She was La Belle Iseult to William Morris, who declared “I cannot paint you; but I love you”. Then she was Pandora, Mnemosyne, Astarte Syriaca and other assorted goddesses to Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Years later, after the Pre-Raphaelite bloom had faded from her cheeks, we see Jane on canvas again in Evelyn … Read more
Inspired by artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s passion for wombats, every Friday is Wombat Friday at Pre-Raphaelite Sisterhood. “The Wombat is a Joy, a Triumph, a Delight, a Madness!” – Dante Gabriel Rossetti On September 27, 1855, Dante Gabriel Rossetti attended a gathering at the home of Robert Browning and his wife Elizabeth. Alfred, Lord Tennyson … Read more
I find Autumn to be healing. Life takes on a distinctive flavor and the speed may be different, but the possibilities are endless. It’s an inspiring season that delights the senses with colors and smells in a way I find comforting. It’s no wonder that many artists and poets have paid homage to it in … Read more