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5th out of 27 books
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4 voters
The Last Pre-Raphaelite: Edward Burne-Jones and the Victorian Imagination
From the prize winning author of William Morris comes a new biography of Edward Burne-Jones, the greatest British artist of the second half of the nineteenth century. The angels on our Christmas cards, the stained glass in our churches, the great paintings in our galleries -- Edward Burne-Jones's work is all around us. The most admired British artist of his generation, he...more
Hardcover, First, 656 pages
Published
September 1st 2011
by Faber and Faber
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I remember it all – and the processions –and the trombones – and the ancient singing – more beautiful than anything I had ever heard and I think I have never heard the like since. And the great organ that made the air tremble – and the greater organ that pealed out suddenly, and I thought the Day of Judgement had come – and the roof, and the long lights that are the most graceful things man has ever made. What a day it was, and how alive I was, and how young – and a blue dragonfly stood still in...more
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I sought this after seeing some of Burne-Jones work in the Museo de Ponce. It's very long and dense, although the story does trip along. I had it for nine weeks, as I kept getting books which were expiring. I didn't finish it, mostly because I couldn't renew it any longer, and I'd been picking at it so long I wanted to move on to other things. I learned lots about the art movements of the mid-nineteenth century. After a while, I will likely read MacCarthy's work on William Morris, whom I have lo...more
This is what the French would call une brique. A monster doorstop of a book that will plunge you, rather enjoyably, into the lives of eminent late Victorians. Save Ruskin and Rossetti, I knew little of the Pre-Raphaelites (and Burne-Jones in particular) before reading this book, but found it hard to put down; the story is spun clearly and movingly. The friendships and spats glimmer on the surface: Morris's advances into socialism, the scandalous affair withe Greek muse/harpie Maria Zambaco, Burn...more
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published in 2011. Spotted the title in the Chronicle of Higher Education. Finally got my hands on it today. I had planned to go to New York in 1998 for the Burne-Jones Centennial exhibit but broke my ankle and could not get there. As I whisked through this highly readable biography, I kept referring to art books to see the works referenced. I think I need to get my hands on the souvenir book from the Metropolitan Museum's exhibit. This was the most enjoyable and engrossing read I've had in art/...more
I love Burne-Jones' work and found this to be a great insight into the late 19th century art world. The fact that the author actually talks about the ideas behind the paintings and other works, and the motivations for the artist (and not just his love affairs) made it more valuable to me.
Done! And after three months of slow reading I gobbled up the last 200 pages in a single day. As always when I read biographies I felt that terrible swelling of emotion as Burne-Jones' life wound down to the inevitable end. Fiona MacCarthy's control of her subject in the last few chapters was very good; the way she tied off each loose end. I found myself tearing up at the death of William Morris, and was very moved by the description of Burne-Jones own quiet funeral at Rottingdean not many years...more
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This was a well-researched, compelling book. It was a great companion to MAY & AMY.
MacCarthy writes so beautifully, she could create interest and meaning in her subject's toenail clippings. Her account is often moving on the friendship with Morris and Jones's passion for a beauty that defies the ugly new world of industrialization. Her discussion of Jones' less admirable traits is straightforward without being judgmental or overly apoloetic. I especially appreciated her sympathetic reading of of Georgiana Jones. Only the last chapter was a bit scattered and anticlimatic.
Interesting, thorough, very readable biography of Burne-Jones.
Fiona McCarthy writes like a dream. Her artist's biographies are insightful and informative. I gained a new appreciation of Burne-Jones though I thought I was knowledgeable about him.
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