19th December 2013
Christina Rossetti (1830-1894) was a fascinating figure who was closely associated the inner circle of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB) from the earliest days of the movement.
Two of her brothers, (Dante Gabriet Rossetti and William Rossetti), were founding members of the movement, and Christina was the subject of many paintings by Dante Gabriel.
Christina was engaged to another founding member of the PRB, (James Collinson), although she later broke off their engagement. As a member of the inner circle, Christina Rossetti was closely associated with William Morris and Jane Burden.
Christina wrote contributions to the PRB magazine, (The Germ, edited by William Rossetti), which first brought the PRB wider attention. For this she used the pen-name Ellen Alleyne. Eventually she became a successful, well-known writer of poetry, fiction and non-fiction. under her own name. She is perhaps best known for Goblin market and other poems (1862) and the popular Christmas carol “In the Bleak Midwinter”.
Posted in William Morris by Laura