Evelyn Waugh's first book is a portrait of one of the greatest artists of the nineteenth century, written by one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century.

"Biography, like books about the dead, will be arbitrarily cataloged, is still very much in vogue."

This is a sparkling account of the tragic and mysterious life of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, telling the story behind some of the greatest poetry and painting of the nineteenth century. Laced with charm and dry wit and illuminated by his sense of kinship with the Pre-Raphaelite artist, Rossetti is both a brilliant reassessment of Rossetti's work and legacy and an act of resistance against the art establishment of Waugh's time.

"The youthful exuberance of the writing makes this a true cultural delight." - New Statesman

"To celebrate with fireworks, bunting, and marching bands." - Country Life.