FROM THE PUBLISHER

One of the foremost literary and artistic families of the nineteenth century, the Rossettis had a striking impact upon the life and culture of the age. This new interdisciplinary collection of writing explores their achievements in the context of the Victorian era and in the light of modern cultural and literary criticism.

"Outsiders Looking In" considers the position that the Anglo-Italian Rossettis occupied in the cultural melee of mid-Victorian London, a status that was both central and fringe owing to their dual nationality. The essays in this volume demonstrate how the family members -- from the celebrated Dante Gabriel and Christina to the comparatively neglected Maria and William -- drew upon a shared cultural experience, and describe how each contributed to the intellectual debates of the age and played a significant role in their various fields. Bringing together significant contributions from some of the most renowned experts in their fields, "Outsiders Looking In" provides important new perspectives on this multi-talented family and their brilliant legacy.

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