The Pre-Raphaelites at Home

by Pamela Todd

Following on from the success of Bloomsbury at Home, Pamela Todd turns her attention to the fiery group of young artists, designers and thinkers, led by the charismatic figure of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, which, in 1848, came together as the semi-secret Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. She explores their personalities and work through the places and haunts they made their own, presenting an intimate view of an important section of the avant-garde artistic community and placing it firmly in its Victorian context. The Pre-Raphaelites at Home is a book about personality and place. Biographies of each of the extensive cast of characters open the book, followed by a chronology of the significant events affecting the group over more than 60 years. In the succeeding chapters Rossetti, John Everett Millais, William Holman Hunt and Thomas Woolner are joined by William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones and their intimate circle. Place by place, we are led through the story of subtly shifting allegiance, of love and deaths, adultery and illness, as the angry young men became successful, and, in some cases, even respectable. The lively narrative, packed with quotation from their own work, is lavishly illustrated with full colour reproductions of Pre-Raphaelite paintings and portraits, photographs of interiors, furnishings and textile designs, and black and white contemporary photographs of the artists, their homes and their studios, as well as line drawings, sketches and cartoons from Punch and material from the Illustrated London News.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, History, Biography

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this. I felt like in some ways the chapters weren't entirely connected, that important figures in the beginning were disregarded until the end came around, and it finished very abruptly, but otherwise it was a joy to see into the intimate lives of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and its followers. A joy and a disappointment, because none of them were particularly upstanding men except for Morris, and he couldn't manage to stand up for himself against Rosetti during his longlasting affair with Morris' wife . . . basically I wanted to take them all and shake them. But if you've seen any Pre-Raphaelite paintings or other works, I'd go to this first before delving into other histories of them. It's easy to read, the illustrations are wonderful, and it provides such a host of information. I read this for my senior double thesis for History & Art History and I'm so glad it was one of the first I read in my research.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely outstanding book on the Pre-Raphaelites. I found it to be the one book I've read so far that made this madcap group of brilliant artists come to life the most. Very highly recommended to anyone looking for more to the story behind the art. Well worth it even if just for the alphabetical listing in the front of all the "important names" in the movement.

[Monna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed Pamela Todd's books about the Bloomsbury and Pre-Raphaelite artists. It makes it so much more interesting to see the photographs of their homes, their work, and of the artists at work and play with their friends along with the stories of their lives.

[Heart DeCoupeville · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential for understanding the PRB.

[Adele Kenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb study filled with exhaustive research. The best Pre-Raphaelite book I've read!

[Karena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should have become more familiar with the artists before reading this book to appreciate its biographical content more.