HOLIDAY, HENRY (1839-1927)

“Dante And Beatrice” (1883)
Original engraving
52 x 74cm
Signed lower left
*private collection, Sydney
 
Holiday RA was a prominent English genre artist, and the last official Pre-Raphaelite painter. He attended Leigh's Art Academy in 1855, at the age of 15, was admitted to the Royal Academy. Through his friendship with Albert Moore and Simeon Solomon he was introduced to the artists Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. This movement was to be pivotal in his future artistic and political life. He also worked with famous architect, William Burges. In 1881, Holiday had travelled to Florence in order to make studies for this picture, and carried out meticulous research to ensure that the correct buildings and architectural features were present. To this day 'Dante and Beatrice' is his most important painting, and the original oil painting resides at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool.