Folio Archives 24: The Pre-Rapahelites and Their World – William Michael Rosetti 1995

The Pre-Rapahelites and Their World – William Michael Rosetti 1995

I have reviewed this FS edition for one reason only, its magnificent binding, which must be one of the most luxuriant in the history of the FS. It was the society’s 1996 presentation volume to members.

The binding is described blandly as being in Balmoral cloth, but it is blocked with an intricate design in gold and multiple colours that are blocked in multiple layers. It glistens, glows and changes with the angle of the light falling on it. It was drawn by David Eccles and is based on “Gems of English Art” published by Routledge in 1869. I will let the photos tell the story.

The book itself tells of the intellectual battle between the art establishment and the radical new realistic painters led by Dante Gabriel Rosetti, Holman Hunt and Millais. These young artists led what would these days be described as an alternate lifestyle with the usual sex, drugs and painting (instead of rock-and-roll).

The book contains 59 colour and 40 black and white illustrations in its 234 pages. It is written by an insider, Dante Gabriel Rosetti’s brother William. It is housed in a plain red slipcase. The paper is glossy to better reproduce the embedded paintings.

























An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed at : http://www.librarything.com/topic/266300

Most of the presentation volumes around that era were quite magnificent. Bestiary ( a sort of Liber Bestiarum LITE) was my favourite. Thanks for sharing thoughts and photos of these gems from the past.

Great volume - thank you for posting!

Thanks from me too. This is a very richly illustrated volume, a real treat to read, yet incredibly cheap on the secondary market.

One of my favourites.

Although it has a place of prominence on my shelf, next to a couple of other books on Pre-Raphaelite art and artists, I've never read it. But now I will thanks to your Review!
I miss those presentation volume days.

My copy of this book encloses an erratum slip stating: "the last line of text on page 42 is missing. It should read very good-natured man. The mother was a much more energetic and active"