There is no doubt that the first edition of this Dictionary, published in 1971 as The Dictionary of Victorian Painters, put Victorian painting on the map, and its subsequent two revisions and eight reprints only go to reinforce the fact that it is the accepted reference on English art of the period. With the continued interest and the author's ongoing research in the subject, it was perhaps inevitable that a further revision and new format was necessary. The Dictionary is now revised in two volumes, each complementary to one another yet entirely independent works depending on the particular interest of the reader. This volume, Victorian Painters: 1. The Text, contains over 11,000 entries. In addition to those on artists who have not featured before, many of the existing entries have been revised and updated. In the case of the 'giants' of Victorian painting, the entries take the form of short, analytical essays.
Every attempt has been made to list all artists recorded during the period 1837-1901, and the exhaustive research into all available printed sources, including saleroom and dealers' catalogues, has meant that, where relevant, entries include not only details of artists' working lives, style and important works, but also gallery and exhibition viewings and bibliographic details - indeed this is the only Dictionary of English art to include comprehensive bibliographies on individual artists. An invaluable feature of this volume is the lengthy and comprehensive general bibliography, also extensively revised, and this, together with the individual entries, make the Dictionary an essential research tool and the undisputed reference on the art of the Victorian era. The companion volume, Victorian Painters - 2. Historical Survey and Plates, opens with an important and scholarly introduction on the art of the period which is illustrated with 47 colour plates. The 750 black and white plates which follow represent the enormous output and range of paintings and provide a unique visual record of this most exciting period of art.
The first edition of "The Dictionary of Victorian Painters" was published in 1971 and contained details of 1,800 artists together with 250 illustrations. It became an accepted textbook on Victorian artists and was reprinted four times until a second, revised and much enlarged edition with 11,000 entries and 550 illustrations appeared in 1978. "The Dictionary" is now revised in two volumes, each complementary to one another yet entirely independent works, depending on the particular interest of the reader. This volume contains over 11,000 entries, which have been revised and updated where appropriate to reflect recent research, as well as much additional material. In many cases the entries are treated as short essays and contain details of exhibitions and gallery viewings of artists' works. Every attempt has been made to make this edition a comprehensive one by listing every artist recorded during the period 1837-1901, even those who only exhibited one work. Research has been carried out into all available printed sources as well as saleroom and dealers' catalogues. Much of the information given is not to be found in any other works and "The Dictionary" is, therefore, an important source of reference for all with an interest in or who are concerned with art of the Victorian period.
