Never before in a book has the Pre-Raphaelite print been celebrated in its own right: lavishly illustrated throughout, Pre-Raphaelite Prints is the first book to be devoted solely to this vital chapter in the development of the Pre-Raphaelites. It discusses their etchings, reproductive engravings and book illustrations with full details for collectors, scholars and print dealers.

  When faced initially with the hostility of the art world, the primary Pre-Raphaelite artists Rossetti, Millais and Holman Hunt used the populist medium of the print as a means of gaining mass appeal for their paintings, and of spreading the Pre-Raphaelite message to a wider audience.

As the popularity of these artists grew, so did the demand for their etchings and book illustrations, and reproductive etchings after their paintings. Reproductions could be bought for a fraction of the cost of the original paintings, and the demand for affordable reproductions in turn stimulated the already large and profitable Victorian engraving business. Before long, the collecting of Pre-Raphaelite engravings had become an integral part of middle-class Britain.

Fully illustrated with reproductions of the most important works, this book shows how the innovative prints of Rossetti, Holman Hunt and Millais led to the Pre-Raphaelite ideal of densely drawn, jewel-like engravings of exquisite observation. Their prints became some of the most popular and treasured images of the Victorian period, and are still widely collected today.

Acknowledgements

and Photographic Credits

Introduction

CHAPTER 1

The Pre-Raphaelite Print World

CHAPTER 2

The Pre-Raphaelite Print

CHAPTER 3

The Pre-Raphaelite Illustrator

Glossary

Artists' Biographies and Lists of Engravings

Selective Reading List

Index