Rossetti: His Life and Works
by Evelyn Waugh 
On This Page
Description
This volume is part of the Complete Works of Evelyn Waugh critical edition, which brings together all Waugh's published and previously unpublished writings for the first time.This, Waugh's first published book, marked the centenary of the birth of the painter and poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882). Waugh was fascinated by the bohemian lives of the Pre-Raphaelite painters, and by his own family connection with them (William Holman Hunthad married, successively, two cousins of his show more grandfather). Rossetti is both compassionate towards its subject and critical of his self-destructive nature. The incisive analysis of Rossetti's painterlytechniques contributed to the resurgence of public interest in Rossetti's art and poetry. The biography was also an early expression of Waugh's lifelong interest in narrative art, and laid the foundations for his own belief in the importance of the spiritual as well as the aesthetic vision of the artist. Although Rossetti was hastily compiled, it is nevertheless elegant and witty. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
This is an interesting journey by the author of many well-known books, including Brideshead Revisited and Decline and Fall.
Written in 1927, when he was only 24, this was Waugh's first publication. Blasted for their non-traditional form of art, at the time, there was little interest in the Pre-Raphaelite artists. For exaggeration, critics who savagely were opposed to the Pre-Ralphaelite movement, choose the provocative, avant garde, mysterious and self destructive Rossetti as their framework for derision.
Waugh's later writings depict the hypocrisy of the British aristocracy and, while he pointed a wicked finger at the rich, and was known for his witty satire, throughout his life he was also deeply attracted to the lifestyle. Knowing this show more helped me when reading his look at Rossetti and the Pre-Raphaelites.
Waugh did an excellent job at depicting the formation of the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood, attentively researching each member and their contribution. However, his portrayal of Rossetti appears to be in keeping with the jealous and ignorant. His picky nastiness is what I would deem pinkies in the air, tea cup in hand, little old gossipy lady like.
Using Fanny Cornforth as a model, Rossetti's masterpiece Monna, Vanna, is currently prominently displayed in the Tate Gallery in London
Of this incredible painting, Wauch noted it was the "most sumptuous vision of barbaric glory and on the whole more than a little absurd."
Waugh deemed Rossetti a "meloncholy old fraud."
History and the Pre-Raphaelite paintings stand the test of time. Certainly Waugh was entitled to his opinion and art is very subjective. I simply wish Waugh's pettiness was not so prominent throughout the book because it greatly detracted from his young accomplishment. show less
Written in 1927, when he was only 24, this was Waugh's first publication. Blasted for their non-traditional form of art, at the time, there was little interest in the Pre-Raphaelite artists. For exaggeration, critics who savagely were opposed to the Pre-Ralphaelite movement, choose the provocative, avant garde, mysterious and self destructive Rossetti as their framework for derision.
Waugh's later writings depict the hypocrisy of the British aristocracy and, while he pointed a wicked finger at the rich, and was known for his witty satire, throughout his life he was also deeply attracted to the lifestyle. Knowing this show more helped me when reading his look at Rossetti and the Pre-Raphaelites.
Waugh did an excellent job at depicting the formation of the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood, attentively researching each member and their contribution. However, his portrayal of Rossetti appears to be in keeping with the jealous and ignorant. His picky nastiness is what I would deem pinkies in the air, tea cup in hand, little old gossipy lady like.
Using Fanny Cornforth as a model, Rossetti's masterpiece Monna, Vanna, is currently prominently displayed in the Tate Gallery in London
Of this incredible painting, Wauch noted it was the "most sumptuous vision of barbaric glory and on the whole more than a little absurd."
Waugh deemed Rossetti a "meloncholy old fraud."
History and the Pre-Raphaelite paintings stand the test of time. Certainly Waugh was entitled to his opinion and art is very subjective. I simply wish Waugh's pettiness was not so prominent throughout the book because it greatly detracted from his young accomplishment. show less
Ratings
Members
- Recently Added By
Author Information
132+ Works 56,499 Members
Born in Hampstead and educated at Oxford University, Evelyn Waugh came from a literary family. His elder brother, Alec was a novelist, and his father, Arthur Waugh, was the influential head of a large publishing house. Even in his school days, Waugh showed sings of the profound belief in Catholicism and brilliant wit that were to mark his later show more years. Waugh began publishing his novels in the late 1920's. He joined the Royal Marines at the beginning of World War II and was one of the first to volunteer for commando service. In 1944 he survived a plane crash in Yugoslavia and, while hiding in a cave, corrected the proofs of one of his novels. Waugh's early novels, Decline and Fall (1927), Vile Bodies (1930), and A Handful of Dust (1934), established him as one of the funniest and most brilliant satirists the British had seen in years. He was particularly skillful at poking fun at the scramble for prominence among the upper classes and the struggle between the generations. He lived for a while in Hollywood, about which he wrote The Loved One (1948), a scathing attack on the United States's overly sentimental funeral practices. His greatest works, however, are Brideshead Revisited (1945), which has been made into a highly popular television miniseries, and the trilogy Sword of Honor (1965), composed of Men at Arms (1952), Officers and Gentlemen (1955), and The End of the Battle (1961). (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Evelyn Waugh has a Legacy Library. Legacy libraries are the personal libraries of famous readers, entered by LibraryThing members from the Legacy Libraries group.
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 34
- Popularity
- 814,280
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.60)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 9
- ASINs
- 2
