When the Pre-Raphaelites broke upon the British art world in 1849, they became a sensation. Much has been written about this groupAWilliam Morris, Edward Burne-Jones, Dante Gabriel Rosetti, and othersAbut this work, which serves as a catalog for a 1998 traveling exhibition in Britain, is the first attempt to look at the role of women in the movement. Marsh and Nunn, both specialists in the Pre-Raphaelites and Victorian women artists, look at the paintings, drawings, and photography of 20 women, ranging from Elizabeth Siddal to Julia Margaret Cameron. Like their male counterparts, they focused on medieval themesAwomen in long, elaborately designed gowns and flowing hair or scenes from legends. But they also experimented with other subjectsAbaby portraits, children playing, saints. Featured here are 231 richly detailed illustrations, 65 in color, many reproduced and documented for the first time, giving these neglected artists the attention they deserve. The work also includes brief biographies, photos of the artists, and a catalog of individual works. Highly recommended for art and women's studies collections.AJoseph C. Hewgley, Nashville P.L. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
