Into the Frame

Overview

Remarkably, there has been only one biography of Ford Madox Brown in the past century and none at all of the four women in his life, his two wives, Elisabeth Bromley and Emma Hill, and his secret passions, the artist Marie Spartali and the author Mathilde Blind. All four were remarkable women, from very different backgrounds, striving for self–expression in an age that sought to suppress them. Their lives—full of passion, sexual longing, tragedy, and determination—take us from the English countryside and the artist’s studio, to a Europe in turmoil and revolution. These are not silent muses hidden in the shadow of the "Master." They step out of the shadows and into the picture, speaking with voices we can hear and understand. Romantic and illuminating, richly illustrated throughout, Into the Frame is a rare opportunity to explore a fascinating area of Victorian bohemianism, based on new research and written with verve and sympathy.

Author Biography

Angela Thirlwell is the editor of The Pre-Raphaelites and Their World and the author of William and Lucy: The Other Rossettis.