Product Description

Until now Arthur Hughes has, with some justification, been called the unknown Pre-Raphaelite. In spite of his close artistic and social connections with, among others, Rossetti, Madox Brown, Holman Hunt, Burne-Jones, William Morris, Tennyson and Lewis Carroll, and although his work can be seen in major collections throughout the world, he has been considered an elusive figure in the history of British art. This Catalogue Raisonn,, the first book solely devoted to Hughes' life and works, aims to redress the balance and put him firmly on the map. It shows him to have been an immensely likeable and modest man, with a wide circle of friends and an extremely happy family life. More to the point, it also shows him to have been among the foremost painters of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. As a good figure painter, especially of children, and a talented colourist, he was sensitive to the aims of the Brotherhood and a leading exponent of their technical practices. Over 80 when he died in the early years of

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #765010 in Books
• Published on: 1998-02-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 304 pages

From Library Journal
Arthur Hughes was an important if elusive Pre-Raphaelite artist (1832-1915) known for only a few works. Having achieved preeminence early in his career, he no longer met with critical acclaim by the 1860s, when the Pre-Raphaelite influences on British painting had largely passed. This catalogue raisonne performs the valuable task of bringing together the artist's works from a wide variety of sources and is now the standard reference work on Hughes; it will contribute in no small measure to restoring his reputation. Stephen Wildman has written a biographical introduction using all the available documentation and the artist's large number of surviving letters. The catalogue, which provides the fullest information on each painting, is a model of scholarly research and is unlikely to be replaced for a long time. The illustrations are well done and the book is well produced. A valuable reference work at a very reasonable price; for every serious art library.?Martin Chasin, Adult Inst., Bridgeport, CT
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

At last a book devoted to Hughes.
As a serious student of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and their associates, I have noticed a curious lack of materials regarding Arthur Hughes and his work. This is perhaps due to the unfortunate destruction (evidently) of much of the papers and materials that would give better light to his biography, as well as his partial detraction from oil painting to produce much illustration work. No less important, in truth, is likely the fact that he was not one of the most successful of Victorian age painters. However, the charm of coloring and subjects in his unique style certainly warrants a serious treatment and _Arthur Hughes: His Life and Works_ is an admirable and well-produced effort. Not only that, but it is the only one that I have yet to discover. With this fact in mind, I can only give it the highest of recommendations to anyone fortunate enough to have a similar taste for his work. The reproductions are excellent, the biography informative, and the content far more complete than the fragmented references to him to be found elsewhere.

Best Out There
I had to give this book five stars because it is the only comprehensive work devoted to Arthur Hughes. I have been attracted to Hughes' paintings for some time, but he has recently become a part of my graduate research. To my surprise, there is little research out there. Even though he did not achieve the critical acclaim of other Pre-Raphaelite artists, he is considered a major artist in the Movement. Granted this book is mainly in catalogue form, but this section contains hard-to-find information. It's also great for listing past exhibitions of individual paintings and newspaper/journal/book leads for more information. Lots of black/white reproductions and some nice colors ones. The analytical introduction is shorter than I would have liked, but the comprehensive catalogue is a great asset.