Amazon.com description: Product Description: The 19th century saw the emergence of numerous artistic brotherhoods - groups of artists bound together in communal production, sharing spiritual and aesthetic aims. This collection of essays explores the issue of artistic brotherhoods. Situating the brotherhoods in their historical context, this volume offers insight into the social, political, economic and cultural milieu of the 19th century. Its main focus is on celebrated and influential brotherhoods, but does include lesser-known or forgotten artists. The essays cover fraternities from a variety of perspectives, looking at issues of gender, identity, professional practices and artistic formations in Europe and the US. Brotherhoods investigated include: the Nazarenes; the Pre-Raphaelites; the Russian Abramatsova; the Primitifs; and the Nabis.