Prof Serena Trowbridge
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serena-t.bsky.social
Prof Serena Trowbridge
@serena-t.bsky.social
230 followers 80 following 71 posts
Professor of Pre-Raphaelite Studies, Birmingham City University. Chair, Pre-Raphaelite Society, Senior VP, Birmingham and Midland Institute. Books, art, nature, stone circles, ballet, fresh air. https://serenatrowbridge.substack.com/
Posts Replies Media Videos
serena-t.bsky.social
Celebrating #ChristinaRossetti on her 195th birthday by looking at settings of her poem ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’. serenatrowbridge.substack.com/p/in-the-ble...
#poetry #choralmusic #preraphaelite #christmas
In the Bleak Midwinter
Celebrating Christina Rossetti on her birthday
serenatrowbridge.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 11:48 AM
serena-t.bsky.social
I always knew poetry was dangerous (in a good way) but now it seems it's dangerous in other ways! Honestly though, would you believe what an AI told you about nuclear secrets?!

www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
AI’s safety features can be circumvented with poetry, research finds
Poems containing prompts for harmful content prove effective at duping large language models
www.theguardian.com
December 2, 2025 at 8:01 AM
serena-t.bsky.social
For the first day of Advent, here's a #Preraphaelite Christmas carol. You can even read the music - 'Good Christian Men Rejoice' (although there is no key signature).
serenatrowbridge.substack.com/p/a-christma...
#advent #christmas #music #birmingham @preraphaelitesoc.bsky.social
A Christmas Carol at Bracken Dene
Time to get festive with Arthur Hughes
serenatrowbridge.substack.com
December 1, 2025 at 6:38 AM
serena-t.bsky.social
Celebrating 140 years of Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery by looking at amazing work by Florence Camm, comparing it to #Rossetti and wondering about a tiny homage to Burne-Jones #birmingham #stainedglass #preraphaelite @preraphaelitesoc.bsky.social
serenatrowbridge.substack.com/p/pre-raphae...
Pre-Raphaelite stained glass: Florence Camm
Dante and Beatrice: The Wedding Feast
serenatrowbridge.substack.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:42 PM
serena-t.bsky.social
Pre-Raphaelite painter Emma Sandys died on this day in 1877, aged 36. Here's a sneak preview of my research on her, about 'Lady holding a Rose' (Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery) serenatrowbridge.substack.com/p/a-mysterio...
#preraphaelite #womenartists #birmingham
A mysterious Lady Holding a Rose
I always come back to Emma Sandys!
serenatrowbridge.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:43 AM
serena-t.bsky.social
More close looking at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery's
Pre-Raphaelite works, this time thinking about Alexander Munro's Paolo and Francesca serenatrowbridge.substack.com/p/paolo-and-...
@preraphaelitesoc.bsky.social #preraphaelite #art #sculpture #dante #nineteenthcentury #birmingham
Paolo and Francesca by Alexander Munro
Preserving a moment in marble
serenatrowbridge.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:45 PM
serena-t.bsky.social
Fascinated by this portrait by Joanna Boyce - more thoughts on it here serenatrowbridge.substack.com/p/joanna-boy... #preraphaelite #preraphaelitesisters #portrait
Joanna Boyce's Portrait of Samuel Naylor, 1855
The man who flirted with Goethe's daughter-in-law!
serenatrowbridge.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:06 PM
serena-t.bsky.social
Fixed term lectureship (1 year, part time) in my department, ideally a Shakespeare specialist - please share with anyone who might be interested!

jobs.bcu.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...

#academicjobs #Shakespeare #EnglishLit
Job Opportunity at Birmingham City University: Lecturer in English Literature
English at Birmingham City University is placed 13th in the Times University Rankings 2026 League Table, and the University received Gold for Student Experience in the last Teaching Excellence Framework.  In REF 2021 the Unit of Assessment...
jobs.bcu.ac.uk
November 10, 2025 at 8:13 PM
serena-t.bsky.social
Looking closely at Pre-Raphaelite paintings at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, starting with Ford Madox Brown’s ‘An English Autumn Afternoon’ with its portals into other worlds!
serenatrowbridge.substack.com/p/enjoying-a...
#Birmingham #PreRaphaelite #Autumn
Enjoying 'An English Autumn Afternoon'
Looking closely at Ford Madox Brown's painting
serenatrowbridge.substack.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:26 PM
serena-t.bsky.social
Call for papers for my latest project - 'Gothic Pre-Raphaelitism': serenatrowbridge.substack.com/p/gothic-pre...
Please share with anyone who may be interested!
#gothic #preraphaelite #preraphaelitism @preraphaelitesoc.bsky.social
November 9, 2025 at 7:59 PM
serena-t.bsky.social
Read the whole of this chilly novel on trains this weekend! #bookerprize
#bookreview #thelandinwinter
serenatrowbridge.substack.com/p/book-revie...
Book review: The Land in Winter
I used to read and review every book shortlisted for the Booker Prize, but these days both time and inclination are lacking.
serenatrowbridge.substack.com
November 2, 2025 at 9:37 PM
serena-t.bsky.social
If you've been pondering doing a #PhD on #Preraphaelite literature and/or #Gothic (as Jane Morris clearly is here), do get in touch - at Birmingham City University we have funded studentships for UK applicants in English&Media; more info here www.bcu.ac.uk/research/doc... #phdfunding #doctoralstudy
October 23, 2025 at 6:24 PM
serena-t.bsky.social
Marking 87 years since the death of May Morris today by looking at her plays. serenatrowbridge.substack.com/p/celebratin...
#MayMorris #WilliamMorris #PreRaphaelite #womenswriting #playwriting @preraphaelitesoc.bsky.social
Celebrating May Morris's writing
Two plays by May Morris that are sadly overlooked
serenatrowbridge.substack.com
October 17, 2025 at 9:54 AM
serena-t.bsky.social
And this is a chattier, longer version: serenatrowbridge.substack.com/p/the-art-of...
#taylorswift #thelifeofashowgirl #elizabethsiddal #preraphaelites #shakespeare
October 3, 2025 at 6:13 PM
serena-t.bsky.social
So this is what I have been working on today: an article for The Conversation about Taylor Swift and Elizabeth Siddall: theconversation.com/the-pre-raph...
#taylorswift #thelifeofashowgirl #elizabethsiddal #preraphaelites #shakespeare
The pre-Raphaelite muse who inspired Taylor Swift’s The Fate of Ophelia
Swift’s cover transforms the corpse-like Ophelia into a striking image, with her eyes open and staring, as though a dead woman has come back to life to accuse us.
theconversation.com
October 3, 2025 at 6:13 PM
serena-t.bsky.social
Thinking about the #preraphaelite poems of #ElizabethSiddal, and #trees, since it's #NationalPoetryDay. Conclusion: trees are good for you; so is #poetry. serenatrowbridge.substack.com/p/elizabeth-...
Elizabeth Siddall's Trees
Some reflections for National Poetry Day
serenatrowbridge.substack.com
October 2, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Reposted by Prof Serena Trowbridge
bmi1854.bsky.social
Part of our extensive Poetry collection for National Poetry Day. It's impossible to choose just one poem for everyone, so come along and browse our shelves.

#nationalpoetryday #poems #birmingham
October 2, 2025 at 11:52 AM
serena-t.bsky.social
I finally went to see Black Sabbath - The Ballet last weekend; here's what I thought of it #ballet #Birmingham #BlackSabbath
I am totally in love with this publicity image!
serenatrowbridge.substack.com/p/black-sabb...
September 26, 2025 at 9:19 AM
serena-t.bsky.social
A beautiful #Autumn evening in #Worcestershire
September 25, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Reposted by Prof Serena Trowbridge
preraphaelitesoc.bsky.social
Thanks to everyone that came and contributed to the Pre-Raphaelite study day yesterday.

Fascinating day and great to see so much energy, enthusiasm and expertise in the field of Pre-Raphaelite studies.
September 21, 2025 at 5:46 PM
serena-t.bsky.social
May Morris is having a moment. But you probably knew that. @preraphaelitesoc.bsky.social #preraphaelitewomen #artsandcrafts
serenatrowbridge.substack.com/p/may-morris...
May Morris is having a moment
Visiting the exhibition in Bournemouth
serenatrowbridge.substack.com
September 18, 2025 at 7:10 PM
serena-t.bsky.social
Reading about reading is always fun, and this history of childhood reading has sent me back to some old favourites. serenatrowbridge.substack.com/p/the-haunte...
#books #bookreview #amreading #childrensbooks
The Haunted Wood: A History of Childhood Reading
Thinking about best-beloved books from childhood
serenatrowbridge.substack.com
September 12, 2025 at 9:48 AM
serena-t.bsky.social
Inspired by a debate about Spain’s most significant paintings, this is my Pre-Raphaelite version. Feel free to disagree with me! serenatrowbridge.substack.com/p/the-spirit... @preraphaelitesoc.bsky.social #preraphaelite #art #preraphaelitewomen
'The Spirit of Britain' in Pre-Raphaelite paintings
Please don't take this too seriously.
serenatrowbridge.substack.com
September 5, 2025 at 8:26 AM
serena-t.bsky.social
A quick reminder that if you'd like to come to my Pre-Raphaelite symposium on Sept 20th you need to book soon! www.eventbrite.com/e/why-does-p... #preraphaelite #conference @preraphsrule.bsky.social @preraphaelitesoc.bsky.social
Why does Pre-Raphaelitism matter now?
Free event, features new research on Pre-Raphaelitism to consider the future of the field, particularly for doctoral researchers/academics.
www.eventbrite.com
September 3, 2025 at 1:43 PM
serena-t.bsky.social
Saw #RoseLeslie in #TheConstantWife at the #RSC a few weeks ago - a most entertaining evening! serenatrowbridge.substack.com/p/the-consta... #theatre
The Constant Wife
Drawing-room comedy with a sharp edge
serenatrowbridge.substack.com
August 20, 2025 at 4:25 PM