A landmark study of how the famed Bloomsbury Group developed their distinct aesthetic
“Fascinating and wide-ranging. . . . Will be enjoyed by both Bloomsbury aficionados and newcomers alike.”—Lucinda Willan, V&A Magazine
The Bloomsbury Group was one of the most successful and influential interdisciplinary collectives of the twentieth century. While its members resisted definition, their vibrant art and dress imparted a coherent, distinctive group identity. The Bloomsbury Look is an intimate and novel exploration of the ways in which the Group enabled its members to test and explore radical ideas and identities in public and in private, placing Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolf centre-stage as curators of the collective’s visual narratives.
Drawing on a wealth of unpublished photographs and archival material, Wendy Hitchmough examines the use of the family album as a vehicle for the Group’s self-fashioned aesthetic. Extensive new research charts the evolution of Omega dress and considers Bloomsbury’s engagement with exhibitions as artists, models, curators, critics, and collectors to determine its pivotal role within twentieth-century modernism.
Wendy Hitchmough is emeritus senior lecturer at the University of Sussex and was curator at the Bloomsbury artists’ home, Charleston, for over 12 years.
“The Bloomsbury Group—and in particular, the style of Virginia Woolf and her sister Vanessa Bell—has been a constant source of inspiration for artists, fashion designers and interior decorators. This well-illustrated volume analyses the visual artefacts—garments and hair styles, art and furniture—the group used to signal membership.”—Lauren Indvik, Financial Times, “Best Books of 2020: Style”
“Ms. Hitchmough’s history vividly fleshes out Dorothy Parker’s observation that ‘[The Bloomsbury Group] lived in squares, painted in circles, and loved in triangles.’”—Ann Landi, Wall Street Journal
“An in-depth look at the visual creations of the group of writers that included Virginia Woolf and E. M. Forster . . . features fascinating unpublished photographs.”—Martin Chilton, The Independent
“Hitchmough’s investigation is very much detailed, and her minute scrutiny of various forms of evidence does convey a precise impression of the group’s visual identity, delivering the promised new take on Bloomsbury.”—Laurent Bury, Cercles
Related Books
Sign up for updates on new releases and special offers
Shipping Location
Our website offers shipping to the United States and Canada only. For customers in other countries: