DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61290#0174
142
DANTE ROSSETTI
no doubt that Rossetti and his collaborateurs made
quite as merry as any of their critics over the
ludicrous failure of their debict as fresco-painters in
1857. But it was very natural that Rossetti, with
his early enthusiasm for the fresco style yet
awaiting an outlet, should have seized eagerly at
the chance of trying his ’prentice hand on so
engagingly favourable an area as the new hall of
the Oxford Union Debating Society. Visiting the
city in company with William Morris during the
summer months, Rossetti was shown over the
freshly completed building by his friend Mr.
Woodward ; and observing the blank spaces of the
gallery window-bays, impulsively offered to paint
on them a series of the “ Morte D’Arthur” subjects
which had so much engrossed his fancy during the
past three years. The suggestion was readily
agreed to, and Rossetti began to collect recruits for
the campaign, which he perceived would afford
ample scope for other labour than his own.
Accordingly, at the commencement of the long
vacation, a company of six young enthusiasts,
embarrassingly ignorant of the first technical ele-
ments of mural painting, but unabashed by any
such details in the path of success, fell confidently
upon their fascinating task. The party consisted
of Rossetti, Burne-Jones, William Morris, Arthur
Hughes, Vai Prinsep, Spencer Stanhope, Alex-
ander Monro, and J. Hungerford Pollen, then
DANTE ROSSETTI
no doubt that Rossetti and his collaborateurs made
quite as merry as any of their critics over the
ludicrous failure of their debict as fresco-painters in
1857. But it was very natural that Rossetti, with
his early enthusiasm for the fresco style yet
awaiting an outlet, should have seized eagerly at
the chance of trying his ’prentice hand on so
engagingly favourable an area as the new hall of
the Oxford Union Debating Society. Visiting the
city in company with William Morris during the
summer months, Rossetti was shown over the
freshly completed building by his friend Mr.
Woodward ; and observing the blank spaces of the
gallery window-bays, impulsively offered to paint
on them a series of the “ Morte D’Arthur” subjects
which had so much engrossed his fancy during the
past three years. The suggestion was readily
agreed to, and Rossetti began to collect recruits for
the campaign, which he perceived would afford
ample scope for other labour than his own.
Accordingly, at the commencement of the long
vacation, a company of six young enthusiasts,
embarrassingly ignorant of the first technical ele-
ments of mural painting, but unabashed by any
such details in the path of success, fell confidently
upon their fascinating task. The party consisted
of Rossetti, Burne-Jones, William Morris, Arthur
Hughes, Vai Prinsep, Spencer Stanhope, Alex-
ander Monro, and J. Hungerford Pollen, then