Simeon Solomon
​Secondary Sources 2000-2006

---

Each passing year there is an increase in Solomon's popularity and notoriety. The first article on Solomon to appear in a commercial magazine took place in 2000, and two small exhibitions at the Jewish Museums in London and New York in 2001 included works by him. A small exhibition of Solomon's works was held at the Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery in 2003, and an extensive "centenary-of-his-death" retrospective exhibition also was held at this same museum in Fall 2005 and continued to show in Munich and London.

---

Newall, Christopher and Joichiro Kawamura. Pre-Raphaelites Exhibition: From Manchester City Art Galleries and Other Collections. Manchester, England: Artis Inc., 2000.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to Stephen Wildman for bringing this citation to our attention. 
Collard, James. "The Agony and the Ecstasy of Simeon Solomon." Out (May 2000): 66-71.

ANNOTATION
One of the most intriguing aspects of this article is that it is the first discussion of Solomon in a commercial "popular press" magazine this century. The author focuses on Solomon as an early gay cultural hero and discusses his recent popularity with other gay pop cultural figures, such as the Pet Shop Boys.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to Ray Anne Lockard for bringing this citation to our attention.

Prettejohn, Elizabeth. The Art of the Pre-Raphaelites. Princeton: Princeton UP, 2000. 

Sandberg, Henry Arthur. "The Androgynous Vision of a Victorian Outsider: The Life and Work of Simeon Solomon." Diss. Drew University, 2000.

ANNOTATION
This is the second American dissertation to focus exclusively on Solomon. Rather than replicate the introductory/biographical work done by Seymour (1986), Sandberg's intent is to focus on Solomon as a gay cultural figure. Sandberg sees Solomon's depictions of men in a (homo)sexual light. Whether they are pretty boys, father figures, or Greek gods, Sandberg perceives Solomon's work as his intentional and purposeful attempt to create a homosexual identity in a culture that was seeking an explanation and acceptance of same-sex desire. The dissertation is heavily illustrated and is the first full-length study on Solomon as a gay cultural figure. Its strength rests in Sandberg's discussion of homosexual relations and the cultural development of the homosexual subculture. However, there are a few errors usually with dates, such as in the discussion of the two Bacchus paintings, which might slightly alter the interpretation of these works.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to Henry Sandberg for first bringing this citation to my attention. 

Seymour, Gayle M. "Solomon, Simeon (1840-1905)." Gay Histories and Cultures: An Encyclopedia. Ed. George E. Haggerty. New York; London: Garland Publishing, Inc., 2000, 832-833.

ANNOTATION
This new encyclopedic entry by Seymour is a fantastic reinterpretive biography on Solomon as a homosexual. She discusses his early Judaic works depicting homoeroticism and notes how by 1870 many were aware of the questionable nature of his works, which incited him to continue to be more daring. 

Lanigan, Dennis T. A Dream of the Past: Pre-Raphaelite and Aesthetic Movement Paintings, Watercolours, and Drawings from the Lanigan Collection. Toronto, ON, Canada: University of Toronto, 2000.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to Dennis T. Lanigan and Stephen Wildman for bringing this citation to our attention. 

Suriano, Gregory R. The Pre-Raphaelite Illustrators. New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll Press; London: The British Library, 2000, 237-246.

ANNOTATION
This work is a comprehensive overview of the graphic art created by the Pre-Raphaelites. The chapter on Solomon is excellent, providing a short introductory overview of Solomon's contributions and details a catalogue of his etchings and wood-engravings from periodicals, books, and individual prints. Most noteworthy is the inclusion of reproductions of 27 of these illustrations. It is also interesting to note that Suriano includes Solomon in the section on the "major" Pre-Raphaelites, rather than on the "associates," which one could interpret as supporting the positive transition in Solomon's critical appreciation.
UPDATED ANNOTATION
1 Sep 2007 - This work has been republished in a revised and expanded edition by the same author as The British Pre-Raphaelite Illustrators (2005). 

Ferrari, Roberto C. "From Sodomite to Queer Icon: Simeon Solomon and the Evolution of Gay Studies." Art Documentation, 20:1 (Spring 2001): 11-13.

ANNOTATION
The premise of this article is that critical and biographical research on the life and work of Solomon can be seen as mirroring the social and critical transformation of gay studies as a discipline and area of study. Includes two reproduction.

Cruise, Colin. "'A certain effeminacy and morbid mysticism': 'Late' and 'Later' Solomon and His Audiences." From Prodigy to Outcast, Simeon Solomon: Pre-Raphaelite Artist. London: Jewish Museum, 2001, 23-29.

ANNOTATION
Cruise focuses on the critical reception of Solomon's post-1860s works, specifically the 1872 Dudley Gallery exhibition of watercolors and later shows such as the London Guildhall exhibition of 1897. One can see an interesting change in the writings of critics, whereby comments on the "effeminate, nauseous affectation" in his work early on modify over time, becoming "imaginative, graceful," as Solomon is looked at with more nostalgia and a greater appreciation. Cruise uses the critical reception to demonstrate Solomon's place in the cultural timeline of same-sex desire. 

Goodman, Susan Tumarkin, ed. The Emergence of Jewish Artists in Nineteenth-Century Europe. London: Merrell; New York: Jewish Museum, 2001, 17, 22, 44, 87-91, 148, 181-182.

ANNOTATION
This work serves as the exhibition catalog for the show with the same name held at the Jewish Museum in New York from November 18, 2001 to March 17, 2002. The exhibition and catalog highlight the work of 21 artists, including Solomon Alexander Hart and Camille Pissarro along with Simeon Solomon and his siblings Abraham and Rebecca. In Susan T. Goodman's introductory essay "Reshaping Jewish Identity in Art" she discusses Solomon in England and Jacques-Emile-Edouard Brandon in France as being among the first artists to depict Jewish life in their art. She also notes the influence of Pre-Raphaelitism on Solomon: his "close observation of nature and idealization of beauty, creating images of deeply felt spirituality unique in British art." She mentions Solomon's 1892 painting Head (Saint Peter or "Help Lord or I Perish") as a self-portrait, but no evidence is provided to support this claim, nor does the image resemble the photo of Solomon reproduced in Bernard Falk (1937). Nicholas Mirzoeff's essay "Inside/Out: Jewishness Imagines Emancipation" notes Solomon's use of the Bible or Jewish culture to "define a new Jewish identity" and cites Carrying the Scrolls of the Law (1867) as an example of mystical ecstasy reminiscent of Bernini's statue of St. Teresa. In addition to the two works mentioned, also included in the exhibition are Moses in His Mother's Arms, The Drought (recently thought lost), and Two Acolytes Censing. This last work is credited here as being his 1864 Royal Academy contribution A Deacon, which has since been proven incorrect by the Love Revealed exhibition and accompanying catalogue (see below). 

Jaffa, Alisa. "From Prodigy to Outcast: Simeon Solomon 1840-1905." From Prodigy to Outcast, Simeon Solomon: Pre-Raphaelite Artist. London: Jewish Museum, 2001, 8-13.

ANNOTATION
Jaffa, who curated this exhibition, wrote this biographical entry on Solomon, providing some background information on his life and upbringing, and an overview of his works including his sketchbooks and illustrations. 

Jewish Museum, London. From Prodigy to Outcast, Simeon Solomon: Pre-Raphaelite Artist. London: Jewish Museum, 2001, 56pp.

ANNOTATION
This exhibition was held in the spring 2001. The show revolved mostly around Solomon's early works, showing together for the first time Solomon's two sketchbooks, one owned by the Jewish Museum, the other owned by the Mishkan Le'Omanut Museum, Ein Harod, Israel. Also on display were the platinotype portfolios done by Hollyer and three paintings, including the oil version of Carrying the Scrolls of the Law (reproduced on the cover of the catalog). The catalog itself is fully illustrated in black and white reproductions of 38 works, including a few paintings that were not in the exhibition. Five short essays and a list of works by Solomon in the Jewish Museum collection and works loaned for the exhibition are also included. Overall, this catalog, despite its brevity, is an important contribution to the continued revival of interest in Solomon as it is the first show highlighting Solomon since the 1985 Geffrye Museum exhibition, and the first solo exhibition since the 1966 Durlacher exhibition. 

Lambourne, Lionel. "'Yours Ever'--Simeon Solomon." From Prodigy to Outcast, Simeon Solomon: Pre-Raphaelite Artist. London: Jewish Museum, 2001, 5-7.

ANNOTATION
Lambourne's foreword to this exhibition catalog focuses on Solomon's two early sketchbooks and the influences of Punch artists John Leech and Richard (Dickie) Doyle on him. He also discusses Solomon's eccentric humor and praises juvenilia art in general for its future appeal for art historians. 

Moorhead, Fiona. "Solomon in the Frame: The Artist and Victorian Photography." From Prodigy to Outcast, Simeon Solomon: Pre-Raphaelite Artist. London: Jewish Museum, 2001, 30-35.

ANNOTATION
Solomon, according to Moorhead, utilized photography as an artistic medium to help promote his works. She focuses on the platinotype portfolios created by Frederic Hollyer of The Song of Songs (1878) and The Book of Ruth (1879), both of which were a part of this exhibition. She notes how the new photographic technology created images that closely replicated the original drawings, an important element for someone like Solomon because of his mastery of draughtsmanship. 

Weiner, Julia. "'An Artist of Strong Jewish Feeling': Simeon Solomon's Depictions of Jewish Ceremonies." From Prodigy to Outcast, Simeon Solomon: Pre-Raphaelite Artist. London: Jewish Museum, 2001, 14-22.

ANNOTATION
Weiner writes about the reception of Solomon's Judaic-themed works. She focuses primarily on the illustrations originally photographed and published by Coundall, Downes and Co. (later published as engravings in the Leisure Hour in 1866) that were not favorably reviewed in the Jewish Chronicle. In contrast, Weiner discusses the favorable reception of his paintings of rabbis and other religous figures. 

Peeters, Nic. "Simeon Solomon: Androgynous Mystic." The Review of the Pre-Raphaelite Society, 9:3 (Winter 2001/2002).

Tate Britain. Exposed: The Victorian Nude. Eds. Alison Smith and Robert Upstone. London: Watson-Guptill, 2002. 

Cooper, Suzanne Fagence. Pre-Raphaelite Art in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: V & A Publications, 2003.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to Stephen Wildman for first bringing this citation to our attention. 

Ferrari, Roberto C. “The Unknown Correspondence of Simeon Solomon.” The Journal of Pre-Raphaelite Studies, 12 (Spring 2003): 23-34. 

Lanigan, Dennis. “The Dudley Gallery: Water Colour Drawings Exhibitions 1865-1882.” The Journal of Pre-Raphaelite Studies, 12 (Spring 2003): 74-96. 

Cruise, Colin. "Reading Poetry: An Overlooked Painting by Simeon Solomon." The Review of the Pre-Raphaelite Society, 11:1 (Summer 2003). 

Cruise, Colin. "Solomon, Simeon (1840–1905)." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 51. Eds. H.C.G. Matthew and Brian Harrison. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. 

Lockard, Ray Anne. "Simeon Solomon." The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts. Ed. Claude J. Summers. San Francisco: Cleis, 2004. Available online: http://www.glbtq.com/arts/solomon_s.html

Wildman, Stephen, ed. Waking Dreams: The Art of the Pre-Raphaelites from the Delaware Art Museum. Alexandria, VA: Art Services International, 2004.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to Stephen Wildman for bringing this citation to our attention. 

Ferrari, Roberto C. “To the Rossettis, From the Solomons: Five Unpublished Letters.” Notes and Queries, 52:1 (March 2005): 70-75. 

Cruise, Colin and Victoria Osborne, eds. Love Revealed: Simeon Solomon and the Pre-Raphaelites. London: Merrell, 2005.

ANNOTATION
This is the catalogue that accompanied the exhibition of the same name held from 2005 to 2006 at the Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery, the Museum Villa Stuck (Munich), and the Ben Uri Gallery (London), in honor of the centenary of Solomon's death. Purchase the catalogue from the publisher. The catalogue includes the following essays:

Cruise, Colin and Victoria Osborne, eds. Love Revealed: Simeon Solomon and the Pre-Raphaelites. London: Merrell, 2005.

ANNOTATION
This is the catalogue that accompanied the exhibition of the same name held from 2005 to 2006 at the Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery, the Museum Villa Stuck (Munich), and the Ben Uri Gallery (London), in honor of the centenary of Solomon's death. Purchase the catalogue from the publisher. The catalogue includes the following essays:

• Colin Cruise, "'Pressing all religions into his service': Solomon's Ritual Paintings and Their Contexts"
• Roberto C. Ferrari, "Pre-Raphaelite Patronage: Simeon Solomon's Letters to James Leathart and Frederick Leyland"
• Debra N. Mancoff, "Truth to Nature with a Difference: Solomon's Pre-Raphaelite Identity"
• Elizabeth Prettejohn, "Solomon's Classicism"
• Gayle M. Seymour, "The Old Testament Paintings and Drawings: The Search for Identity in the Post-Emancipation Era"
• Frank C. Sharp, "'A Friendship I held dear': Simeon Solomon and the Royal Academy Circle"

Swinburne, Algernon Charles. Uncollected Letters of Algernon Charles Swinburne. Ed. Terry L. Meyers. London: Pickering & Chatto, 2005. Addenda available online: http://swinburnearchive.indiana.edu/swinburne/www/swinburne/.

Canning, Richard. "The Naughtiest Victorian." [Review of the Love Revealed: Simeon Solomon and the Pre-Raphaelites exhibition.] The Gay and Lesbian Review 13:6 (Nov-Dec 2006): 48-50.

ANNOTATION
Over all, a very positive review of the exhibition timed to the centenary anniversary of the death of Simeon Solomon. However, there are a few factual errors in the review.