In Victorian England, with the country swept up in the Industrial Revolution, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, close to William Morris Arts and Crafts movement, yearned for a return to bygone values. Wishing to revive the pure and noble forms of the Italian Renaissance, the major painters of the circle such as John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Edward Burne-Jones, in opposition to the academicism of the time, favoured realism and biblical themes over the affected canons of the nineteenth century.
AS the name indicates, the family of Dante Gabriel Rossetti is of Italian origin. On the paternal side the painter-poet belongs to Vasto d'Ammone, the ancient Histonium, a small, secluded, and picturesquely situated city of the Abruzzi, on the Adriatic coast of the then kingdom of Naples. The name Rossetti, though borne in Italy by several men who attained eminence in painting or music was not originally that of the family to which it owes its highest honours. The primary name of this was Delia Guardia.
The largest collection of Rossetti's letters ever to be published, it features all known surviving letters, a total of almost 5,800 to over 330 recipients, and includes 2,000 previously unpublished letters by Rossetti and selected letters to him. In addition to this, about 100 drawings taken from within letter texts are also reproduced. In its entirety the collection will give an invaluable and unparalleled insight into Rossetti's character and art, and will form a rich resource for students and scholars studying all aspects of his life and work.
Based on a rich range of primary sources and manuscripts, A Rossetti Family Chronology breaks exciting new ground. Focusing on Christina and Dante Gabriel, the Chronology demonstrates the interconnectedness of their friendships and creativity, giving information about literary composition and artistic output, publication and exhibition, reviews, finances, relationships, health, reading habits and gallery attendance, and detailing literary and artistic influences.
Christina Rossetti: Comprehensive Research and Study Guide (Bloom's Major Poets)
Christina Rossetti, considered to be one of the finest Victorian poets, is perhaps best known for her poem 'Goblin Market'. Other poems discussed in this volume include 'Remember', 'Echo' and 'Passing Away'.
