''The Germ, thoughts towards nature in art and literature'' (1850) was a

periodical Periodical literature (singularly called a periodical publication or simply a periodical) consists of Publication, published works that appear in new releases on a regular schedule (''issues'' or ''numbers'', often numerically divided into annu ...

established by the

Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB), later known as the Pre-Raphaelites, was a group of English painters, poets, and art critics, founded in 1848 by William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Michael Rossett ...

to disseminate their ideas. The magazine was edited by William Michael Rossetti. ''The Germ'' was renamed ''Art and Poetry, being Thoughts towards Nature, conducted principally by Artists'' for its last two issues. It was not a success, only surviving for four issues between January and April 1850. Illustrations were provided by members of the brotherhood. Every issue began with an original etching. William Holman Hunt provided an illustration to Woolner's poem ''My Beautiful Lady'' in the first issue. Collinson illustrated his own poem, ''The Child Jesus'', in the second issue. Madox Brown created a two-page illustration of the King Lear and his daughters for the third issue, accompanying his article on the mechanics of a

history painting History painting is a genre in painting defined by its subject matter rather than any artistic style or specific period. History paintings depict a moment in a narrative story, most often (but not exclusively) Greek and Roman mythology and B ...

. Walter Deverell depicted ''Viola and Olivia'' from Shakespeare's ''Twelfth Night'' in the last issue. ''The Germ'' published

poetry Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...

by William Michael Rossetti and other members of the Brotherhood including William Michael Rossetti's brother

Dante Gabriel Rossetti Gabriel Charles Dante Rossetti (12 May 1828 – 9 April 1882), generally known as Dante Gabriel Rossetti ( ; ), was an English poet, illustrator, painter, translator, and member of the Rossetti family. He founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brother ...

, Thomas Woolner and

James Collinson James Collinson (9 May 1825 – 1881) was a Victorian painter who was a member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood from 1848 to 1850. Collinson was known for the paintings,''The Renunciation of St Elizabeth of Hungary'', ''To Let'' and ''For S ...

Christina Rossetti Christina Georgina Rossetti (5 December 1830 – 29 December 1894) was an English writer of romanticism, romantic, devotional and children's poems, including "Goblin Market" and "Remember". She also wrote the words of two Christmas carols well k ...

also had her poetry published there. It also printed contributions of verse and

essay An essay ( ) is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a Letter (message), letter, a term paper, paper, an article (publishing), article, a pamphlet, and a s ...

s on

art Art is a diverse range of cultural activity centered around ''works'' utilizing creative or imaginative talents, which are expected to evoke a worthwhile experience, generally through an expression of emotional power, conceptual ideas, tec ...

and

literature Literature is any collection of Writing, written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially novels, Play (theatre), plays, and poetry, poems. It includes both print and Electroni ...

by associates of the Brotherhood including

Ford Madox Brown Ford Madox Brown (16 April 1821 – 6 October 1893) was a British painter of moral and historical subjects, notable for his distinctively graphic and often William Hogarth, Hogarthian version of the Pre-Raphaelite style. Arguably, his mos ...

and Coventry Patmore, as well as occasional

book review A book review is a form of literary criticism in which a book is merely described (summary review) or analyzed based on content, style, and merit. A book review may be a primary source, an opinion piece, a summary review, or a scholarly view. B ...

Title

The title ''The Germ'' refers to the Pre-Raphaelite belief in the importance of nature (a ''germ'' is a

seed In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...

) and of the human

imagination Imagination is the production of sensations, feelings and thoughts informing oneself. These experiences can be re-creations of past experiences, such as vivid memories with imagined changes, or completely invented and possibly fantastic scenes ...

, as implied by the phrase "the germ of an idea". They hoped that the magazine would be a seed from which new creative ideas would grow. It was subtitled ''thoughts towards nature in art and literature'' to emphasise the editors' belief that poetry and art should be closely intertwined. In the hope of improving the magazine's poor sales, it was renamed with the less ambiguous title ''Art and Poetry, being Thoughts towards Nature, conducted principally by Artists'' for its final two issues. Pre-Raphaelite Sisterhood website, ''Hand and Soul'', article by Stephanie Chatfield dated 7 January 2014
/ref> Each issue sold less than 100 copies and the magazine closed in May 1850.

Editions

''The Germ'' was printed by Messrs. Tupper and Sons, a firm of lithographic and general printers in the City of London, who took a financial stake in the publication to try to ensure its success; the Tupper family had links to the Brotherhood through the sculptor John Lucas Tupper. Only 70 of the first issue of 700 copies were sold. The print run was reduced for the next edition, but sales did not pick up. George Tupper persuaded the group to carry on for two more issues, but ultimately bore the brunt of the financial losses. A special limited edition (only 450 copies) of all four volumes of ''The Germ'' was published in 1898 on Van Gelder handmade paper, by Thomas B. Mosher, Portland, Maine, USA. A facsimile edition of all four volumes plus "Preface" by W.M. Rossetti was published by Elliot Stock in 1901 and issued in a slipcase.

References

External links

The Rossetti Archive
two complete transcriptions, with facsimile images and scholarly commentary {{DEFAULTSORT:Germ, The 1850 establishments in the United Kingdom Defunct visual arts magazines published in the United Kingdom Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood Defunct literary magazines published in the United Kingdom Magazines established in 1850 Monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom Magazines disestablished in 1850 Defunct magazines published in London 1850 disestablishments in the United Kingdom