Pre-Raphaelites: drawings & watercolours

Abstract

The collection of watercolours 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 catalogue, 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, watercolour, bodycolour 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.

Contents

Introduction: Pre-Raphaelites on paper / Christiana Payne -- Navigating the 'many botherations of a picture': the techniques and materials of George Price Boyce, Gabriel Rossetti and Edward Burne-Jones / Fiona Mann -- Reading and drawing: Pre-Raphaelite sources in English literature / Robert Wilkes -- Catalogue: The Pre-Raphaelite circle: portraits, formal and informal ; Contrasting traditions, media and purposes ; 'Stunners' ; Inspiration from history and literature ; Sketches and studies ; John Ruskin ; Pre-Raphaelite landscapes.