In 1880, renowned Pre-Raphaelite painter bought Prospect Cottage in Rottingdean, as a holiday home for himself and his family. He soon fell in love with the property and made it his permanent home for most of the year, up until his death in 1898. This move coincided with the production of a series of mermaid and siren artworks, partly inspired by his proximity to the sea, and partly by the two women he loved – his wife, Georgiana MacDonald, and his muse, Maria Zambaco. Cecilia will be exploring some of these artworks in relation to the artist’s life in Rottingdean, from the influence of friends, family and fellow Pre-Raphaelites to his tempestuous love life.
SUPPORTED BY ROTTINGDEAN HERITAGE

Cecilia is in her third year of PhD study in Art History and Visual Culture at the University of Exeter, and her project focuses on mermaids and sirens as figures of indeterminate gender in art and literature between 1860 and 1910. She previously studied English (BA) and Victorian Literature, Art and Culture (MA) at Royal Holloway, University of London, before studying for a History of Art Postgraduate Certificate at Birkbeck, University of London. Her research interests include Pre-Raphaelite depictions of gender, Victorian Spiritualism and the representation of mythical creatures and monsters in British art.