The cult of beauty at the V&A

V&A Cult of Beauty's merchandise

The V&A in London is running an exciting exhibition called The Cult of Beauty, which showcases masterpieces from the Aesthetic Movement, including paintings, prints, designs, photos, jewellry, drawings and decorative items from 1860s to 1890s. As a fan of the Pre-raphaelites, I find this exhibition wonderfully inspiring.

And to accompany The Cult of Beauty, the V&A shop is selling stunning merchandise - I'm very tempted by the earrings and peacock brooch! Would love to go and re-visit Lord Leighton house too! Click here to see pictures of this amazing house.

Pavonia by Frederic Leighton, 1858-9. 

Private collection © Christie's

Beautiful and useful

Wooden book handmade in Switzerland, inside pic

Wooden book handmade in Switzerland, closed. It was bought for less than £1 at charity bazaar

William Morris once said: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful”. I got to know William Morris better while working for a period home magazine back in the 1990s. Before that epiphany it was just a name in contemporary social and art history, decades after the Impressionists, which were my favourites. Finding out about Morris also coincided with my switch from Impressionism to the Pre-Raphaelite movement. I still love the Pre-Raphaelite artists and really relished the costume drama Desperate Romantics (and various books about them). 

I had the good fortune to live opposite the William Morris Gallery for a few years and was a Friend and regular visitor - until I moved out of London. Aside the beautiful tiles, furniture, books and textiles, there is Pre-Raphaelite artwork in the upstairs gallery.

Slippers made of wool with extractable insole/support. Bought from a shoe shop in Cambridge for £13 (during sales)

But back to the mundane... This is a pair of beautiful and useful slippers, more functional than the wooden book but not less attractive....