The Pre-Raphaelite Podcast

A huge welcome back to Hannah Squire and Helen Bratt-Wyton from Wightwick Manor which is currently home to the wonderful 'The Rossettis: Siblings and Spouses' exhibition. From a secret apartment, Helen and Hannah share the story of the exhibition and the remarkable way in which it was collected and curated entirely from Wightwick's own collection. Exploring deep family dynamics connections and collaborative ways of making and creating, this exhibition challenges the idea of the solitary genius, instead reframing the Rossettis as a truly remarkable family.

It is a pleasure to welcome the incredible singer-songwriter Paris Paloma to the podcast. Paris takes us on a tour of her creative inspirations which are rooted in art, literature, history and myth but her music addresses contemporary concerns around the voice of women, invisible labour and the loss of what might have been. Filled with folklore, fantasy and the darker side of desire and beauty, Paris' work is uncannily Pre-Raphaelite in its approach and aesthetics.

Paris Paloma's single 'Pre-Raphaelite' is found her latest album 'The Fatal Flaw' and is available now.

It is a pleasure to welcome Lizzie Jacklin and Esme Whittaker to the podcast to discuss a fascinating new exhibition opening at the Laing Gallery on October 17th. This exhibition focuses on the intermedial relations between poetry and painting in Pre-Raphaelitism. Lizzie and Esme discuss this relationship, the process of putting the exhibition together and tease us with some of the works soon to be on display.

For more information, please visit: https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/laing/whats-on/pre-raphaelites-art-and-poetry

It is a pleasure to welcome the wonderful Fiona Slattery Clark who is Curator of Decorative Art for National Museums Liverpool. Fiona joins us to discuss her current exhibition 'May Morris: Crafting a Legacy'. This exhibition is a celebration of the wide-ranging creative output of Arts and Crafts designer and maker, May Morris, the younger daughter of William Morris. A vibrant display of embroideries, wallpapers, watercolour designs, costume and jewellery showcase her many talents. May Morris devoted her life to crafting a legacy which continues to inspire designers, makers and educators today.

It is a pleasure to welcome Alessia Attanasio and Vincenzo Pernice to the podcast to discuss the influence of Baroque art on the Pre-Raphaelites. Alessia and Vincenzo outline what we mean by Baroque art across Europe and in Britain, they explore the crucial missing centuries between the Pre-Raphaelites and their more obvious Renaissance and Medieval influences. A fascinating and enlightening episode which creates links that are not always apparent between artistic movements.

An enormous welcome to both Cecelia Rose and Casey Maeve. Cecelia is a familiar voice to our long-term listeners and has now joined us on the wonderful podcast team. Her first guest is Casey Maeve, a PhD student at the University of Birmingham whose work focuses on nineteenth-century poetic depictions of Sappho. Casey explores the history of Sappho, her unique appeal to the Pre-Raphaelites and how this translated into the later Decadence and Aesthete movements by empowering and inspiring a new generation of both women and queer writers.

It is a pleasure to welcome the wonderful Jane Robinson to the podcast to speak about the life and work of Barbara Bodichon. A true early trailblazer across a number of political rights movements, Bodichon's artistic style and collaborative, social networks are rooted in Pre-Raphaelitism. Jane traces Barbara's story, exploring her unique artistic style, Pre-Raphaelite friendships and her pioneering political works.

To find out more about Jane's work, please visit : https://www.jane-robinson.com/books.html

We are delighted to welcome Glenda Youde and Steve Kenyon who join us to share the details of a new Blue Plaque being unveiled in Matlock, Derbyshire. Celebrating the long stay of Dante Rossetti and Elizabeth Siddal in Lime Tree View, Glenda and Steve tell us about their time in Matlock and the fascinating history of the property. Please join them for the grand reveal on the 9th May 2026. For tickets, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dante-gabriel-rossetti-and-elizabeth-siddal-in-matlock-tickets-1984180310722

We are pleased to welcome Bill Toomey, Daniel Sutherland and Carol Jacobi from the Whistler Society to explore the extraordinary life and works of James McNeill Whistler. Instrumental in the shift towards Aestheticism, Whistler was always remarkably forward thinking, ahead of his time and radical in his approach to art. This episode precedes a major retrospective on Whistler opening at the Tate in May.

To find out more, please visit: https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/whistler

March is Morris Month. To celebrate, we are delighted to welcome Gabriella Esser and Vanessa Manson from The William Morris Society to share the life and legacies of Morris. Gabriella and Vanessa tell us about a busy March, filled with activities, talks and events, many of which are accessible online. To find out more about Morris Month, The William Morris Society, their events and charity work, as well as their education outreach and travelling exhibitions, please visit:

https://williammorrissociety.org/morris-month/

https://williammorrissociety.org/

To follow The William Morris Society on social media, please visit:

https://www.facebook.com/TheWilliamMorrisSociety

https://www.instagram.com/williammorrissocietyuk/

A huge welcome and congratulations to the wonderful Dr Alex Round. A familiar voice to you all, Dr Alex has now completed her PhD and joins us today to discuss her research, interrogate the term sisterhood and share some tips for studying a PhD in Pre-Raphaelite studies. On behalf of the Podcast team and The Pre-Raphaelite Society, a huge congratulations and thank you for all the work that you do.

It is a pleasure to welcome back the wonderful Cecelia Rose to share her research around John William Waterhouse's likely membership of The Golden Dawn, a secret society formed in the late nineteenth-century. Cecelia explains how the Golden Dawn was linked to many artists and literary figures at the time and shows us a number of hidden clues and symbols in Waterhouse's art pointing towards membership.

A wonderful, warm welcome to the poet Sarah James who joins our guest presenter Sarah Doyle to discuss her latest publication 'Darling Blue'. Sarah shares her creative journey and poetic processes as well as discussing some of the paintings that have inspired her poetry. 'Darling Blue' is available now, please visit: https://www.sarah-james.co.uk/?page_id=17191 to find out more and order a copy, you will not be disappointed.

It is a pleasure to welcome back the wonderful scholar and novelist Mercedes Aguirre to look at her latest work 'La muerte de una madrasta' which translate to 'The Death of a Stepmother'. While only available in Spanish at present, Mercedes' novel is a nineteenth century, crime-fiction retelling of the myths of Phaedra, Hippolytus and Theseus. Mercedes' work frequently interweaves her expertise in nineteenth century British art with Greek mythology.

To find out more please visit:

https://mercedesaguirrecastro.com/la-muerte-de-una-madrastra-es/

It is a pleasure to welcome Lizzie Broadbent to the podcast to discuss her research project 'Women Who Meant Business' which focuses on the commercial and business aspects of women's lives in the nineteenth century. Lizzie explores the roles of a number of women within the Pre-Raphaelite and Arts and Crafts movements from a business perspective, showing how many were successful entrepreneurs in their own right and how progress in this area may not be as linear as we think.

To find out more about Lizzie's project, please visit: https://womenwhomeantbusiness.substack.com/about

For more information and to subscribe to the Pre-Raphaelite Society, please visit http://www.pre-raphaelitesociety.org

All donations towards the maintenance of this podcast are gratefully received:

https://gofund.me/60a58f68

It is a pleasure to welcome the wonderful Edith Charlesworth to the podcast to talk about her research into a series of hidden De Morgan panels. Once a bright, vibrant and gleaming gold, the panels are now somewhat neglected, decontextualised and forgotten. Edith explains the history and connections between De Morgan, Stanhope and the wider Pre-Raphaelite movement with Cawthorne, whilst explaining the importance of the panels and passionately appealing for their restoration.

To find out more, please visit:

https://www.instagram.com/edith.charlesworth

https://www.demorgan.org.uk/evelyn-de-morgans-angel-panels-all-saints-church-cawthorne/

https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/18084/

For more information and to subscribe to the Pre-Raphaelite Society, please visit http://www.pre-raphaelitesociety.org

All donations towards the maintenance of this podcast are gratefully received:

https://gofund.me/60a58f68

It is a pleasure to welcome the wonderful comedian and art historian Verity Babbs to the podcast. Verity's book 'The History of Art in One Sentence' is released this week in all bookshops everywhere, reputable, or otherwise. Verity talks us through the creation of this impressive book, the interweaving of comedy and history and some of the less serious takes on Pre-Raphaelitism art history.

For more information and to subscribe to the Pre-Raphaelite Society, please visit http://www.pre-raphaelitesociety.org

All donations towards the maintenance of this podcast are gratefully received:

https://gofund.me/60a58f68

A huge welcome back to the podcast for John Reed who joins us today to discuss his brilliant new PhD project. John's work examines how exhibitions of Pre-Raphaelite art shapes the narratives and critical reputations built up around the Pre-Raphaelites. John discusses a range of critical theory that has been applied to this art from earlier 1980's exhibitions, through the era of the 'Victorian Avant-Garde' up to the recent 'Victorian Radicals' exhibition.

For more information and to subscribe to the Pre-Raphaelite Society, please visit http://www.pre-raphaelitesociety.org

All donations towards the maintenance of this podcast are gratefully received:

https://gofund.me/60a58f68

We are delighted to welcome Cecilia Neil-Smith to the podcast to talk about her fantastic work on depictions of mermaids and sirens within Pre-Raphaelite art. Cecilia plunges the aquatic depths of Burne-Jones, de Morgan and Waterhouse, showing how the mermaid has transformed from an ancient and medieval symbol to a challenge for Victorian conceptions of gender, sexuality, conformity and biology.

For more information and to subscribe to the Pre-Raphaelite Society, please visit http://www.pre-raphaelitesociety.org

All donations towards the maintenance of this podcast are gratefully received:

https://gofund.me/60a58f68

A huge congratulations on behalf of the Pre-Raphaelite Society and the Podcast team to Dr Ester Diaz Morillo on the completion of her viva! In this episode, Karl chats to Ester about her graduation, research journey and some of the amazing musical and visual adaptions compiled in the process.

For more information and to subscribe to the Pre-Raphaelite Society, please visit http://www.pre-raphaelitesociety.org

All donations towards the maintenance of this podcast are gratefully received:

https://gofund.me/60a58f68