Information

Solomon published 'A Vision of Love Revealed in Sleep' in 1871. Privately printed then published under the imprint of Rossetti's publishers F.S. Ellis. Although illustrated only by one image photographed by Frederick Hollyer, the book had ambitions to be both literary and pictorial. The text tells of the journey of a narrator and his soul through a nocturnal landscape where they experience visions of various states and conditions of love until they meet the figure of Sacramentum Amoris bearing the 'Very Love' in a crystal vessel. Many of the literary images appear in pictorial form in paintings and drawings of the 1870s and supplied Solomon with subjects for the rest of his life as an artist.Although on its appearance the book had two influential reviewers, Algernon Charles Swinburne and John Addington Symonds, its initial impact was small. It is now seen as an important document in activating modern debates around homosexuality.

  • Presented by Lionel Lambourne, 2005.
  • © Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery

Makers

Association Artist Organisation
Author Simeon Solomon -

Exhibitions

Catalogue No. Venue Date(s)
Love Revealed:Simeon Solomon and the Pre-Raphaelites
- Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery 2005-10-01 - 2005-01-15
- Museum Villa Stuck, Munich 2006-03-09 - 2006-06-18
- Ben Uri Gallery, The London Jewish Museum of Art 2006-09-11 - 2006-11-26
 

Associated people

Name Type
Frederick Hollyer Associated with

Related work & resources

Discuss this work

Start a discussion about this work.

You need to login to discuss this work. Click here to login.

If you are not yet registered click here to become a member.
Find out more about membership