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Pre-Raphaelites in the Spirit World: The Séance Diary of William Michael Rossetti — Occult Philosophy

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Pre-Raphaelites in the Spirit World: The Séance Diary of William Michael Rossetti

Name: Pre-Raphaelites in the Spirit World: The Séance Diary of William Michael Rossetti
Price: 54.55 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781789974423

✍️ J B Bullen, Rosalind White

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

An edited nineteenth-century diary documenting twenty Pre-Raphaelite séances held between 1865 and 1868.

Primary historical records reveal how Victorian artists engaged with mediumship following personal loss. Driven by guilt after Elizabeth Siddal died in 1862, her husband and his brother used spirit communications to seek answers about her afterlife. The transcription includes precise questions, uncannily accurate answers, and accounts of spiritual manifestations. An additional 1856 letter from medium Anna Mary Howitt describes the physical intensity of her early psychic awakenings.

Key Themes

Victorian spiritualism Pre-Raphaelite spirit séances Nineteenth-century mediumship

Literary Context

The material originates from Victorian England during the late nineteenth century. It documents the cult of spiritualism and table-turning phenomena that captivated the Pre-Raphaelite literary and artistic circle between 1856 and 1868.

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

Dante Gabriel Rossetti · Elizabeth Siddal · Victorian Spiritualist Literature · Pre-Raphaelite Biographies

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Occult Philosophy

🏛 Peter Lang Ltd, International Academic Publishers 📅 2021 📖 176 pages 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781789974423

Fun Fact

This scholarly edition offers a rare and intimate window into the private spiritual quest of a prominent Victorian intellectual. While its academic rigor and meticulous documentation are admirable, those seeking sensationalistic tales might find its objective record more intriguing than dramatic. It firmly establishes Rossetti's diary as a cornerstone for understanding the era's spiritualist fervor and its profound intersection with the artistic avant-garde, making it essential for serious researchers and curious minds alike.

📝 Description: Pre-Raphaelites in the Spirit World: The Séance Diary of William Michael Rossetti

This volume presents the previously unpublished nineteenth-century séance diary of William Michael Rossetti, kept between 1865 and 1868 across twenty documented sittings. Prompted by the 1862 death of Elizabeth Siddal, the sessions began as Dante Gabriel Rossetti sought reassurance regarding his late wife's happiness in the afterlife. The recorded conversations capture specific details known only to the participants, featuring communications from spirits such as John Polidori, Gabriele Rossetti, and Siddal herself. The book also features an unpublished 1856 letter to Dante Gabriel Rossetti from artist Anna Mary Howitt, who details her personal interactions with the spirit realm, her psychic powers, and her occasionally violent experiences. Edited by J. B. Bullen and Rosalind White, the work examines nineteenth-century spiritualism, the Victorian paranormal, and the spiritualist activities surrounding the Pre-Raphaelite circle. Bullen, a Visiting Fellow of Kellogg College, Oxford, brings expertise from his prior publications, including The Pre-Raphaelite Body and Rossetti Painter and Poet. White contributes research background as a Victorianist from Royal Holloway, University of London. This publication suits scholars, literary critics, and readers interested in nineteenth-century art history, Victorian spiritualism, and primary historical documents. Dinah Roe, Reader in Nineteenth Century Literature at Oxford Brookes University, notes that the text is essential reading for those studying the Victorian paranormal. It is less suited for readers seeking modern instructional manuals on mediumship or general modern witchcraft.

💎 Expert review

“

💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

This meticulous edition serves as a crucial primary source for scholars and enthusiasts of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, particularly regarding the impact of Elizabeth Siddal’s death on her circle. While it provides an unparalleled look at the spiritualist sessions, readers seeking lively narrative drama or fictionalized accounts may find the diary format somewhat dry. It is not suited for those uninterested in art history or Victorian social customs. However, for those willing to engage with its historical weight, it offers a candid, unvarnished perspective on grief and the supernatural that enriches our understanding of this pivotal artistic period.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers interested in the hidden emotional undercurrents of the Pre-Raphaelite movement will find this diary invaluable. It offers a rare, intimate glimpse into how profound grief drove creative minds toward the supernatural for solace. Those who appreciate the intersection of artistic legacy and personal tragedy will discover how William Michael Rossetti’s sittings provide context to the Brotherhood's work. The book illuminates the human desire to connect with the lost, revealing that spiritualism was not merely a trend but a deep personal quest for understanding. It is essential for anyone seeking to understand the full scope of Victorian artistic life beyond the canvas.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

If you're drawn to the enigmatic intersections of art, grief, and the unseen forces of the Victorian age, this intimate record offers an unparalleled glimpse. Perfect for scholars and enthusiasts of Pre-Raphaelite art, spiritualist history, or those fascinated by the emotional lives of historical…

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

This meticulous edition serves as a crucial primary source for scholars and enthusiasts of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, particularly regarding the impact of Elizabeth Siddal’s death on her circle. While it provides an unparalleled look at the spiritualist sessions, readers seeking lively narrative drama or fictionalized accounts may find the diary format somewhat dry. It is not suited for those uninterested in art history or Victorian social customs. However, for those willing to engage with its historical weight, it offers a candid, unvarnished perspective on grief and the supernatural that enriches our understanding of this pivotal artistic period.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Absolutely, this volume presents William Michael Rossetti's own meticulously kept, previously unpublished records of twenty séances conducted between 1865 and 1868.

Expect to encounter communications from notable figures such as Elizabeth Siddal, Dante Gabriel Rossetti's wife, along with John Polidori and Gabriele Rossetti, among many other documented presences.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Victorian Spiritualism Explored

The book meticulously documents the practices and beliefs of 19th-century spiritualism through the lens of actual séance records. It provides an intimate look at how individuals, including prominent intellectuals and artists, engaged with mediums, table-turning, and spirit communication, offering a grounded perspective on a phenomenon that swept through society during the era.

Pre-Raphaelite Connections

Discover how the visionary artists of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, particularly the Rossetti family, were deeply entwined with spiritualist circles. This diary reveals their personal participation in séances, showcasing how their artistic sensibilities and emotional lives intersected with the quest for communication with the departed, offering new insights into their broader cultural context.

Grief and the Afterlife

At its heart, this work is a poignant exploration of grief, specifically Dante Gabriel Rossetti's profound sorrow following Elizabeth Siddal's death. William Michael's diary entries underscore the personal motivations behind seeking messages from the other side, reflecting a universal human desire for reassurance and connection with loved ones in the face of loss.

📜 Historical context

Emerging during a period of widespread bereavement and scientific skepticism, 19th-century spiritualism offered a comforting counter-narrative, attracting many, including the intellectual and artistic elite. This diary sits firmly within that tradition, illustrating how prominent figures like the Pre-Raphaelites, known for their romantic and mystical art, sought answers to life's profound questions beyond the material realm, blending personal sorrow with public phenomena.

📚 Glossary

Séance
Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood
Spiritualism

📔 Questions to reflect on

How might the intense emotional landscape of the Pre-Raphaelite artists have contributed to their receptiveness to spiritualist phenomena?
Considering William Michael Rossetti's motivation, what role does profound grief play in seeking connection with the unseen, both then and now?
In what ways did Victorian society's understanding of science, art, and religion converge or diverge in practices like séances, as illuminated by this diary?