The Pre-Raphaelite Podcast

A Blue Plaque in Matlock

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 

James McNeill Whistler

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 

Morris Month

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/
 

Sisters in Art, and a Celebration

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.

Waterhouse and The Golden Dawn

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. 

Darling Blue

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. 

'The Death of a Stepmother': Reinterpreting Phaedra, Hippolytus and Theseus

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/
 

Women Who Meant Business

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 www.pre-raphaelitesociety.org 
 
All donations towards the maintenance of this podcast are gratefully received:
https://gofund.me/60a58f68 

Evelyn De Morgan and All Saints Church, Cawthorne

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?igsh=M3RkYTh2M3A0anF2
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 www.pre-raphaelitesociety.org 
 
All donations towards the maintenance of this podcast are gratefully received:
https://gofund.me/60a58f68 

The History of Art in One Sentence: 500 Years of Art (But Funny)

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 www.pre-raphaelitesociety.org 
 
All donations towards the maintenance of this podcast are gratefully received:
https://gofund.me/60a58f68