Pre-Raphaelite Sisters

Pre-Raphaelite Sisters examines the lives and works of twelve women who were integral to the Pre-Raphaelite art movement in Victorian Britain. The book profiles artists, models, and creative partners who have been historically overshadowed by their male counterparts. Through letters, diaries, photographs and artwork, author Jan Marsh reconstructs the professional and personal experiences of figures like Elizabeth Siddal, Jane Morris, and Marie Spartali Stillman. The text includes over 100 images, many previously unpublished, revealing these women's contributions as artists, embroiderers, and creative collaborators. Each chapter follows one woman's story within the broader context of Pre-Raphaelite culture and Victorian society at large. Marsh documents their artistic training, family relationships, working conditions, and the various roles they played in this influential artistic circle. The book challenges traditional narratives about women's roles in art history by highlighting their agency and creative autonomy rather than viewing them solely as muses or models. This perspective offers new insights into both the Pre-Raphaelite movement and the wider dynamics of gender in Victorian art.

Readers value this book's focus on the women behind Pre-Raphaelite art, highlighting overlooked figures like Fanny Cornforth and Jane Morris. Many note the rich historical research and inclusion of lesser-known photographs and artworks. Likes: - Detailed personal histories of the models and artists - High-quality art reproductions - Challenge to Victorian-era gender narratives - Clear writing style for complex art history Dislikes: - Some sections repeat information - Cost of hardcover edition - Limited coverage of certain figures - Technical art terminology can be dense Ratings: Goodreads: 4.4/5 (127 ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (89 ratings) Notable reader comments: "Finally gives these women their due as artists and creators, not just muses" - Goodreads "The price is steep but worth it for the print quality" - Amazon "Could have included more about May Morris" - LibraryThing

Women Artists: The Linda Nochlin Reader by Anne Sutherland Harris, Linda Nochlin This collection of essays examines the role of women artists through history, with special focus on their exclusion from and participation in nineteenth-century artistic movements.

Wives and Stunners: The Pre-Raphaelites and Their Muses by Henrietta Garnett The book uncovers the lives of the models, wives, and lovers who influenced Pre-Raphaelite art while pursuing their own creative endeavors.

The Woman Artist in Victorian Literature by Antonia Losano This study explores representations of female artists in Victorian fiction and their connection to real-world women painters of the period.

Forgotten Women: The Artists by Zing Tsjeng The text brings forward the histories of female artists across cultures and time periods who were erased or marginalized in mainstream art history.

Women, Art, and Society by Whitney Chadwick This comprehensive survey traces women's contributions to visual culture from the Middle Ages to contemporary times, with significant coverage of nineteenth-century movements.

🎨 The book highlights 12 women who were vital to the Pre-Raphaelite movement but historically overshadowed by their male counterparts - including artists, models, and muses like Jane Morris and Elizabeth Siddal. 🖼️ Author Jan Marsh discovered that Fanny Cornforth, one of Dante Gabriel Rossetti's most important models, did not die in a workhouse as previously believed but in an asylum in Chichester. 📚 The exhibition that accompanied this book at London's National Portrait Gallery in 2019-2020 was the first major show to focus specifically on the female Pre-Raphaelite artists and their contributions. 🎭 Many of the women featured were accomplished artists in their own right - Marie Spartali Stillman had a 60-year career and created nearly 170 works, yet was primarily remembered as a model. ✨ The book reveals that Evelyn De Morgan earned more from her paintings than her husband William De Morgan did from his pottery, helping keep their household financially afloat through her art sales.