A Valentine

Written by Dante Gabriel Rossetti to Elizabeth Siddal A VALENTINE Yesterday was St. Valentine. Thought you at all, dear dove divine, Upon the beard in sorry trim And rueful countenance of him, That Orson who’s your valentine? He daubed, you know, as usual. The stick would slip, then brush would fall: Yet daubed he till … Read more

The Tale of Pygmalion

The tale of Pygmalion dates back to Ovid’s Metamorphoses. The paintings featured here are the second series painted by Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones. Pygmalion is a sculptor who is disgusted by the behavior of local women, who are frivolous, shallow, and immoral. His decision to live a life of celibacy instead of choosing one of … Read more

Pre-Raphaelite Links!

With my all-consuming passion for Pre-Raphaelite art, I am thrilled to see so many Pre-Raph inspired sites online right now.  The Pre-Raphaelites have been dismissed for so many years.  I think that through the internet and the opportunity for people of similar interests to connect with each other, Pre-Raphaelite art is undergoing a much deserved … 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

Waterhouse: The Mysterious Models

In an earlier post, I shared with you the recently redesigned johnwilliamwaterhouse.com. The works of John William Waterhouse are instantly recognizable for their beautiful, ethereal women — all of whom have that indescribable “Waterhouse” quality. A quality that I can’t quite put my finger on or describe, but they all have it. I suppose it … Read more

Visitor Email: Photo of Jane Morris

“I have cropped this picture from the 1874 photo of the Burne-Jones and Morris families. It was not a particularly bright sunny day when the picture was taken (better for reducing harsh contrast and bringing out a wider tonal range) and given the photographic equipment of the time, Jane was probably trying to stay still … Read more

Jane Morris: An Enigmatic Muse

In 1857, Rossetti and a small group of artists that included William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones were working in Oxford, painting the Union Murals.  One night, they attended a performance put on by actors from the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.  Seated in the gallery below were Jane Burden and her sister.  Rossetti, struck by Jane’s … 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

POSSESSED: A Musical

I was thrilled to receive the following comment this morning on this post: “I was very excited to read your blog about the Jane Burden plaque. My musical, POSSESSED, about Jane Burden’s relationship with Morris and Rossetti is being showcased at the Oxford Playhouse in 2008.” I followed the link to the POSSESSED site and … Read more

Book Recommendation: The Pre-Raphaelites by Christopher Wood

One of the first books I ever purchased about Pre-Raphaelite art was The Pre-Raphaelites. My Pre-Raphaelite library is constantly growing, but this beautiful book remains my favorite. It is quite large in size, but that’s a wonderful thing as it allows the book to be literally filled to the brim with large, vivid pictures of … Read more

The Blessed Damozel

The Blessed Damozel, Dante Gabriel Rossetti The blessed damozel leaned out From the gold bar of Heaven; Her eyes were deeper than the depth Of waters stilled at even; She had three lilies in her hand, And the stars in her hair were seven. Her robe, ungirt from clasp to hem, No wrought flowers did … Read more

The Bower Meadow

The Bower Meadow, painted by Dante Gabriel Rossetti in 1872. Featured in the foreground are Maria Spartali Stillman (left) and Alexa Wilding(right). I’m not sure about the women in the background. Musical instruments, such as the ones seen here, seem to figure prominently in many of Rossetti’s works Veronica Veronese, The Sea-Spell, La Ghirlandata to … Read more

Link: Ruskin and Persephone

There is a wonderful post at Art and Words about an upcoming exhibit, Ruskin and the Persephone Myth, at the Ruskin Library at Lancaster University. Art and words is the website of author, illustrator, and designer Kris Waldherr.

April Love

April Love ,  Arthur Hughes  (1855). William Morris purchased this painting after it was exhibited, narrowly beating John Ruskin who also desired it. The artist exhibited April Love along with these lines from Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s The Miller’s Daughter: Eyes with idle tears are wet. Idle habit links us yet. What is love? for we forget: … Read more

Lucinda Hawksley Interview

I recently had the honor of interviewing author Lucinda Hawksley.  Hawksley has penned several books, most notably a biography of Elizabeth Siddal and one on Hawksley’s own relative Kate Perugini, daughter of Charles Dickens.  Lucinda Hawksley is the great-great-great-grandaughter of Charles Dickens.  Read the interview at LizzieSiddal.com

A Visit to the Red House

Artist Paul Noonan has been kind and generous enough to share his personal photos of his trip to Red House four years ago. Thank you, Paul, for sharing with us! I encourage you all to visit his website, http://www.portr8s.com. He has a gift for portraiture and has been greatly influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites. Please don’t … Read more

Circle of Sisters: Alice Kipling, Georgiana Burne-Jones, Agnes Poynter, and Louisa Baldwin

The Macdonald sisters—Alice, Georgiana, Agnes and Louisa-started life in the teeming ranks of the lower-middle classes, denied the advantages of education and the expectation of social advancement. Yet as wives and mothers they would connect a famous painter, a president of the Royal Academy, a prime minister, and the uncrowned poet laureate of the Empire. … Read more

After five years, the Pre-Raphaelites come home

Delaware Art Museum celebrates the return of the Bancroft Collection By CHRISTOPHER YASIEJKO, The News Journal via Delaware Online They were the avant-garde artists of their time, seven young men in London, disenchanted with the art establishment. They were inspired to form a group — a brotherhood — whose purpose was to revisit the bright … Read more