Pre Raphaelite Drawings By Burne Jones

Finest drawings (1865–1895) by brilliant 19th-century English artist. 44 drawings.

Finest drawings (1865–1895) by brilliant 19th-century English artist. 44 drawings.

In Fiona MacCarthy’s riveting account, Burne-Jones’s exchange of faith for art places him at the intersection of the nineteenth century and the Modern, as he leads us forward from Victorian mores and attitudes to the psychological, sexual, and artistic audacity that would characterize the early twentieth century.

Oxford has a special place in the history of Pre-Raphaelitism. Thomas Combe (superintendent of the Clarendon Press) encouraged John Everett Millais and William Holman Hunt at a crucial early stage of their careers, and his collection became the nucleus of the Ashmolean collection of works by the Brotherhood and their associates. Two young undergraduates, William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones, saw the Combe collection and became enthusiastic converts to the movement. With Dante Gabriel Rossetti, in 1857 they undertook the decoration of the debating chamber (now the Old Library) of the Oxford Union. The group's champion John Ruskin also studied in Oxford, where he oversaw the design of the University Museum of Natural History and established the Ruskin School of Drawing. Jane Burden, future wife of Morris and muse (probably also lover) of Rossetti, was a local girl, first spotted at the theatre in Oxford. Oxford's key role in the movement has made it a magnet for important bequests and acquisitions, most recently of Burne-Jones's illustrated letters and paintbrushes. The collection of watercolors and drawings includes a wide variety of appealing works, from Hunt's first drawing on the back of a tiny envelope for The Light of the World (Keble College), to large, elaborate chalk drawings of Jane Morris by Rossetti. It is especially rich in portraits, which throw an intimate light on the friendships and love affairs of the artists, and in landscapes which reflect Ruskin's advice to 'go to nature'. More than just an exhibition catalog, this book is a showcase of the Ashmolean's incredible collection, and demonstrates the enormous range of Pre-Raphaelite drawing techniques and media, including pencil, pen and ink, chalk, watercolor, bodycolor and metallic paints. It will include designs for stained glass and furniture, as well as preparatory drawings for some of the well-known paintings in the collection.

The paintings of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood are widely known and loved, but this book - newly available in paperback - presents a comprehensive survey of the intimate world of the Pre-Raphaelites' drawings. Works by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Holman Hunt and John Everett Millais are set beside those of their followers Edward Burne-Jones, William Morris and Ford Madox Brown, as well as lesser-known figures such as James Collinson and Frederick Sandys. Copiously illustrated with Pre-Raphaelite drawings from public and private collections around the UK, the book features an illuminating text by the renowned art historian Colin Cruise, offering a fresh and intimate perspective on this much-loved group of artists. 'Highly readable ... a fresh and intimate look at a compelling subject' - Good Book Guide 'A lasting contribution to the study of Pre-Raphaelite drawings' - The Burlington Magazine 'Packed with illustrations and an illuminating text' - RA Magazine 'A totally rewarding book in every way: it is a joy to look at and a delight to read' - Artist

A comprehensive and superbly illustrated study that reveals for the first time how drawing was central to the activity of making art for the Pre-Raphaelites. The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was a group of radical young artists who banded together in London in 1848. This book explores the vital role played by drawing and design in the work of the Brotherhood and their associates and followers. Alongside nudes and figure studies are the group’s portraits, self-portraits, and caricatures that were often exchanged as gifts between friends; delicate studies of nature by John Ruskin and John Brett; scenes derived from religious, literary, and medieval sources; captivating studies of the iconic Pre-Raphaelite models Lizzie Siddal and Jane Morris; and original designs for stained glass, textiles, and ceramics. The book explores the full variety of Pre-Raphaelite drawing and demonstrates the impact that it had on turn-of-the-century British art movements such as Aestheticism, Symbolism, and Art Nouveau. Illustrated with the most important Pre-Raphaelite drawings from public and private collections in Britain—including striking works by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Holman Hunt, and Edward Burne- Jones that have never before been exhibited or reproduced—it offers an intimate look into the enchanting world of the Pre-Raphaelites.

Published to accompany a major British Museum exhibition, this illustrated catalogue features reproductions of the museum's collection of Pre-Raphaelite drawings. Artists featured include Ford Madox Brown, Rossetti, Millais, Ruskin and Edward Burne-Jones.