William Burges's Great Bookcase and The Victorian Colour Revolution

The William Burgess (1827–1881) Great Bookcase is a unique piece of furniture that has been returned to the Ashmolean Museum after an absence of over 80 years. It was painted by 13 major artists, including Edward Burne-Jones, Edward Poynter, and Albert Moore, and explores the chromophilia of the "Pre-Raphaelite" architect William Burges and his key role in shaping aesthetic debates about color in the 1860s. This book provides a definitive account of one of Burgess most cherished and complex artworks.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 02 May 2023
Publisher: Yale University Press

Charlotte Ribeyrol presents a captivating (book)case study delving into the remarkable tale of an extraordinary object: the Great Bookcase by William Burgess (1827–1881). A staggering thirteen renowned artists, including Edward Burne-Jones, Edward Poynter, and Albert Moore, collaborated to bring this unique piece of furniture to life, and it has now been returned to the Ashmolean Museum after an absence of over eighty years. Ribeyrol sheds new light on the chromophilia of the "Pre-Raphaelite" architect William Burges and his pivotal role in shaping aesthetic debates about color during the 1860s. This pivotal decade, marked by the advent of the first synthetic dyes, transformed the artistic experience for many painters and poets within the Burgess circle. By interweaving art, literature, and chemistry, Ribeyrol interprets the eight painted panels of the Great Bookcase within the context of this "color revolution," which brought forth innovative approaches to color while simultaneously reviving the polychromy of the Pagan and Christian past. Drawing upon pioneering interdisciplinary research and featuring stunning new photography throughout, this book offers a definitive account of one of Burgess's most cherished and intricate artworks.

Dimension: 270 x 216 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780300267976