The Cowper-Temples, who inherited Broadlands on the death of Lord Palmerston in 1865, were closely associated with patronage of the arts and spiritualism. A series of Broadlands conferences on the higher life were held at the house in the 1870s. Other visitors included the artist, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, probably pictured here at the right of the image, leaning against the column. The young girl in the foreground is the Cowper-Temples’ adopted daughter, Juliet. Lady Cowper-Temple had a long-standing friendship with Constance Wilde (Mrs Oscar Wilde), and a substantial number of letters from her survives in the archive.
http://www.broadlandsarchives.com/the-women-of-broadlands-and-their-connections/a-family-group-at-broadlands-mid-1870s-including-dante-gabriel-rossetti/
Thanks for spotting this Kirsty
4 comments:
Some rare families are either talented themselves or surround themselves with talented artists, designers, writers etc. If I had been around in the later 19th century, I would love to have been invited to the Cowper-Temples, and to stay for those weekends at Broadlands.
And even better, the Cowper-Temples were historically minded enough to keep all their letters and treasures.
On fb Hels there has been a very vigorous debate about whether it really is Rossetti. I am more interested in that there are only hints that he was so interested in Spiritualism. Not an uncommon interest at the time but this group were at the serious end.
Hello,
only say that the column is not Rossetti, bears little resemblance. Greetings from Spain.
I agree; I doubt that that's Rossetti.
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