Romanticism and Popular Culture

This evolving bibliography collects media that represent Romantic-era works and historical figures in fictional contexts. We welcome feedback and additions from the RC community.

Visual Art

McQueen menswear ss2022
Alexander McQueen SS 2022 and menswear collections

Date:

2021

Alexander McQueen's menswear spring/summer 2022 and resort 2022 collections included clothing inspired by William Blake, including several pieces that borrow images from his paintings. 

Slideshows with images of these collections are available here: https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/designer/alexander-mcqueen

Jane Austen action figure
Archie McPhee Jane Austen Novelty Merchandise

Publication Information:

Archie McPhee

Date:

2015

A variety of Jane Austen-themed novelty merchandise, including toothpaste, an action figure, and temporary tattoos. From mcphee.com.

Picture of Bingley's Teas sampler
Bingley's Teas

Date:

2008

"The Camellia Sinensis obsessed Temptress of Teas took the love she had for tea culture, Taiwan teas, her respect for the tea farmers and Jane Austen, and a little burlesque sass, to tie them all together. The result was The Jane Austen Tea Series, profiling characters of tea and Austen characters personalities for a match." -bingleysteas.com

New Yorker cartoon
George Booth Cartoon

Publication Information:

The New Yorker

Date:

1999

Artist George Booth created a cartoon for The New Yorker that references Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem "Ozymandias." http://www.condenaststore.com/-sp/My-name-is-Ozymandias-king-of-kings-Look-on-my-works-ye-Mighty-and-d-New-Yorker-Cartoon-Prints_i8575181_.htm

Graham Tyler grey suit
Graham Tyler's spring 2020 fashion collection

Date:

2019

Fashion Designer Graham Tyler's spring 2020 fashion collection, which debuted at New York Fashion Week in September 2019, was inspired by Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Tyler used letter manuscripts held at the New York Public Library's Pforzheimer Collection as a design motif.

Hark A Vagrant book art
Hark! A Vagrant

Author:

Kate Beaton

Publication Information:

Hark! a Vagrant

Date:

2006

A series of Jane Austen-themed comics by artist Kate Beaton, posted on her website Hark! A Vagrant.

Comic strip titles include "Jane Austen Comics," "Too Much Austen," and "Ooh Mister Darcy: a Fan Fiction."

Jason Novak’s cartoons in "Shopping for Groceries with the Romantic Poets”

Author:

Jason Novak

Date:

2013

Jason Novak’s series of cartoons in the Paris Review in October 2013, “Shopping for Groceries with the Romantic Poets”

See The Paris Review of Books

Fashion from John Alexander Skelton
John Alexander Skelton's Fall 2017 Fashion Line

Date:

2017

John Alexander Skelton's Fall 2017 fashion line was inspired by Peterloo and Percy Shelley's Masque of Anarchy, and the models read the entire poem out loud on the runway.

Proposed LEGO toy block set of Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage

Author:

Mika McKinnon

Date:

2015

Proposed LEGO toy block set of Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage

See the article on io9

Ronnie Landfield's For William Blake

Date:

1968

The title of the work refers to the author, William Blake.

Collection of stamps
Royal Mail "Romantic Poets" collection

Publication Information:

Royal Mail UK

Date:

2020

In 2020 the Royal Mail in the U.K. issued a series of "Romantic Poets"
stamps, postcards, and collectible coins. Some of the promotional material
reads:

Collection of stamps
Royal Mail "Romantic Poets" collection

Publication Information:

Royal Mail UK

Date:

2020

In 2020 the Royal Mail in the U.K. issued a series of "Romantic Poets"
stamps, postcards, and collectible coins. Some of the promotional material
reads:

Doug Savage Poet-Bot cartoon
Savage Chickens Cartoon

Date:

2008

In 2008, artist Doug Savage created a "Poet-Bot" cartoon referencing Williams Wordsworth's poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud." http://www.savagechickens.com/2008/10/wordsworth.html

A color illustration of the Ghost of a Flea with Boris Johnson's face
The Ghost of a Flea (cartoon)

Publication Information:

Independent Digital News & Media Ltd

Date:

2019

On September 14, 2019, cartoonist's Dave Brown's "The Ghost of a Flea," a satire of Boris Johnson using William Blake's image of the same name, appeared in the Independent newspaper.

Color image of a boat on choppy seas
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner "Big Read" 2020

Date:

2020

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Big Read, begun in April 2020, is an online read-through of the “Rime" released in forty free daily installments read by forty different readers and with accompanying visuals by forty different artists.

The Big Read was commissioned by the University of Plymouth and curated by Philip Hoare, Angela Cockayne, and Sarah Chapman: https://www.ancientmarinerbigread.com/readings