The Legacy of Anna Mary Howitt

In her day, Anna Mary Howitt was an artist, author and activist who was fully immersed in her cultural and social milieu. Identified by Marsh and Nunn as 'the nearest thing to a female Pre-Raphaelite, tout court', Howitt established herself as among the great artists of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. As a campaigner, Howitt actively fought for women's rights and education and became a part of the first organised feminist network in Britain. As a writer, she documented her memoirs from her unchaperoned travels and even published works of fiction - all of which were critically acclaim. Despite this, the main thing Howitt is remembered for (if at all) is her apparent mental 'breakdown' and withdrawal from the professional art world. This talk will unravel the mysteries surrounding Howitt's professional and historical erasure and will shed light on the fact that Howitt never actually ceased from working. As Susan Tallman als…