PAINTED SERMONS: EXPLANATORY RHETORIC AND WILLIAM HOLMAN HUNT’S INSCRIBED FRAMES Karen D. Rowe A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY August 2005 Committee: Sue Carter, Advisor Catherine Cassara Graduate Faculty Representative Thomas Wymer Richard Gebhardt Bruce Edwards ii ABSTRACT Sue Carter, Advisor This study was undertaken to determine the rhetorical function of the verbal texts inscribed on the frames of the paintings of the Victorian Pre-Raphaelite artist William Holman Hunt. The nineteenth century expansion of the venues of rhetoric from spoken to written forms coupled with the growing interest in belle lettres created the possibility for the inscriptions to have a greater function than merely captioning the work. Visits were made to museums in the United States and Great Britain to ascertain which of Hunt’s paintings have inscribed frames. In addition, primary sources at the Bodleian Library, Oxford, and the British Library, London, were consulted to determine if the artist had recorded his design plans or stated any specific purpose for the inscriptions. Contemporary reviews and exhibition catalogs were also consulted at these libraries. In addition, secondary sources were examined for relevant discussions of Hunt’s works. It was concluded that the inscribed works fit the parameters of explanatory rhetoric, a form informational and didactic rather than persuasive in nature. The common nineteenth century venue for explanatory rhetoric was the pulpit, instructing converted parishioners about Church doctrines and their Christian duties. It was also concluded that this shift in rhetorical purpose was not new to the Victorian era, rather that there is a long history of explanatory rhetoric going back at least to Augustine. As well it was determined that there is a long history of the use of the visual in sermonizing. Thus, Hunt’s works, addressing doctrine and duty, reflect the characteristics of explanatory rhetoric. iii This study suggests that exploration of explanatory rhetoric should be undertaken in greater detail, for it is a rich addition to the field of rhetoric, potentially reaching across the boundaries of the liberal arts. In addition, this study suggests that a re-examination of the modes of discourse be considered, according information the same consideration as persuasion and opening the door for categorizing rhetorical practice by purpose, not genre. The conclusions of this study support the contention of Robert Connors whose articles on explanatory rhetoric encourage a deeper consideration of that relatively unexplored rhetorical mode. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to acknowledge the assistance of those people who contributed to the successful completion of this project. Special thanks go to Alex Kidson of the museum staff at the Manchester City Art Gallery, Manchester, England, for her assistance in arranging my visit there. Dr. Sue Carter receives special gratitude for her unfailing encouragement and timely reading of my draft along with encouragement and revision suggestions as chair of the dissertation committee. Dr. Tom Wymer has my thanks for being willing to lend his considerable knowledge of the Victorian era to my project even while on sabbatical. My thanks go to my committee members—Drs. Rick Gebhardt, Bruce Edwards, and Catherine Cassarra—for their assistance during a busy time. In addition, I greatly thank Dr. Kris Blair for her assistance with the electronic submission aspect of this project and for her belief in my burgeoning computer skills. Finally, untold thanks go to my friends—namely Dawn Watkins whose weekly postcards encouraged me greatly and Mona Dunckel who shared the adventure of graduate school with me—and to my mother without whose encouragement this project would have been overwhelming. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................... 1 Explanatory Rhetoric................................................................................................. 3 Rationale for This Study ............................................................................................ 7 Artistic Context.......................................................................................................... 9 Artistic Focus ............................................................................................................ 11 Inscriptions as Explanatory Rhetoric......................................................................... 17 Methodology and Scope ............................................................................................ 18 Prospectus for Other Chapters ................................................................................... 20 CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE............................................................... 23 The Pre-Raphaelite Artists......................................................................................... 24 The History of Explanatory Rhetoric......................................................................... 27 The History of the Visual in Sermons........................................................................ 36 Hunt as Preacher-Artist.............................................................................................. 45 Framing ............................................................................................................ 58 CHAPTER III. A CATALOGUE OF FRAMES.................................................................. 61 Organization ............................................................................................................ 62 Design Details ............................................................................................................ 65 Mechanical Details..................................................................................................... 65 The Scapegoat ............................................................................................................ 67 The Beloved ............................................................................................................ 68 The Plain of Esdraelon............................................................................................... 69 The Shadow of Death................................................................................................. 70 vi The Light of the World .............................................................................................. 71 A Converted British Family Sheltering a Christian Priest from the Persecution of the Druids ............................................................................................................ 72 The Finding of the Saviour in the Temple................................................................. 73 Claudio and Isabella................................................................................................... 74 Valentine Rescuing Sylvia from Proteus ................................................................... 75 The Lady of Shalott ................................................................................................... 76 The Awakening Conscience ...................................................................................... 77 The Ship ............................................................................................................ 78 May Morning on Magdalen Tower, Oxford .............................................................. 79 CHAPTER IV. INSCRIBED DOCTRINE............................................................................ 80 The Scapegoat ............................................................................................................ 82 The Beloved ............................................................................................................ 87 The Plain of Esdraelon............................................................................................... 95 The Shadow of Death................................................................................................. 100 The Light of the World .............................................................................................. 107 Conclusions about Explanatory Rhetoric................................................................... 113 CHAPTER V. INSCRIBED DUTY ..................................................................................... 116 A Converted British Family Sheltering a Christian Priest from the Persecution of the Druids ............................................................................................................ 117 The Finding of the Saviour in the Temple................................................................. 121 Claudio and Isabella................................................................................................... 126 Valentine Rescuing Sylvia from Proteus ................................................................... 129 The Lady of Shalott ................................................................................................... 132 vii Conclusions about Explanatory Rhetoric................................................................... 142 CHAPTER VI. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH .. 144 Conclusions ...........................................................................................................