I first became interested in the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood at school. I read everything I could about them, gradually expanding my reading to encompass their associates, friends and family, then widened further to include adjacent or overlapping art styles such as Symbolism and Art Nouveau.
Years later, I’m still surprised by finding new connections between artist craftspeople of this era and people who designed and things I actually own.
The most interesting thing about this is how organic it is – a furniture maker’s nephew becomes a glass designer, a family friend gets roped in to help with embroidery and ends up founding a needlework school.
It took longer than we would like today, but gradually, these people changed the world around them, and continue to do so.
Something worth remembering in the rush for exit.