Pre-Raphaelite Women: Images of Femininity

by Jan Marsh

Looks at the women who influenced the Pre-Raphaelite movement in Britain, including fellow artists, models, wives, and lovers, and explains how the paintings helped shape the role of women in Victorian society

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Art History, Pre Raphaelite, Historical

160 pages, Hardcover

First published December 13, 1988

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The painting of pre-raphaelite women begins with poetry."

Marsh writes eloquently and intelligently on pre-raphaelite women (made up of not only the muses and models, but the artists) and categorises them into nine subsections: Bohemians and Stunners, Holy Virgins, Nubile Maidens, Doves and Mothers, Fallen Magdalens, Medieval Damozels, Sorceresses, Allegories and Icons, and Pale Ladies of Death.

I learned a great deal from this book both on the paintings themselves, and the lives of those who were both depicted in them and also creators of them. A fine book that cheered up a dull, grey afternoon.

[Linda Lipko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jan Marsh is considered to be an expert in her research of the Pre-Raphaelites. This is an incredibly well written and beautiful book.

The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood began as a small group of artists who took the art world by storm in their unique subject matter and style.

Stoic, staid and rigid Victorian society did not quite know how to handle three men who began the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and turned pre-conceived notions of beauty upside down. United in youth, talent and idealism, they created a movement representing incredible beauty.

Using models whom Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Holden Hunt and John Everett Millais deemed "Stunners", at a time when modeling for artists was a step above prostitution, the choice to sit for the artists was risky for some. While some of the women were sisters, wives or daughters, others, such as Lizzie Siddal were of the poorer class.


Lizzie, who was the model of perhaps the most famous pre-raphaelite painting -- John Everett Millais' Opehlia, worked in a hat shop

Fanny Corthforth, the model for Dante Gabriel Rossetti's paintings
Fazio's Mistress and Bocca Baciata, was a prostitute

William Holden Hunt's painting The Awakening Conscience, included Annie Miller as the model. Enamored by Annie, Hunt rescued her from life on the street and tried to school her in the ways of "respectable women."

The members of the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood were obsessed with the subject mater of the fallen woman. Depicting the moment of the kept woman's remorse, Hunt's painting was a bold statement at a time when cherubs and angels were the theme of art.



I highly recommend this book to those interested in this incredible art.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. Author based her chapters on the ‘types’ of women the Pre Raphaelites were obsessed by: Stunners/Sorceresses/Fallen Magdalenes etc

Not sure all of her facts are 100% accurate (I’m not convinced Fanny Cornforth was ever really a prostitute) but overall a good read and lots of good colour plates.

[Sophie (RedheadReading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting way of examining the Pre-Raphaelites through the different archetypes of women they portrayed. Definitely focuses on certain artists more than others (Rossetti strong throughout) but mainly I'm coming away with a wish to become much more familiar with Evelyn De Morgan!

[E J · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some incredibly strong works in this book. It introduced me to a few artists I didn't know by name. I wish there had been more art though.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the best book I've read on Pre Raphaelite art, but the art is so beautiful and moving, it transcends the written word to higher than mediocre.

[Harinder Singh]

rght

[Monica]

The thumb is of the softcover version, not sure how to make it a separate edition..