The Real Desperate Romantic's Paintings in New York

Aidan Turner as Rossetti

Good news for Aidan Turner fans in New York who, after watching the BBC drama Desperate Romantics, want to know more about the work of Rossetti and the Pre-Raphaelite artists. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is currently holding an exhibition called the Pre-Raphaelite Legacy. The exhibition focuses on the work of Edward Burne-Jones, William Morris, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti and includes paintings, drawings, furniture, ceramics, stained glass, textiles, and book illustrations from the 1860s through the 1890s. The work by Rossetti includes Lady Lilith and Jane Morris: Study for 'Marianna'. 

Jane Morris:Study for 'Marianna' and Lady Lilith via the Metropolitan Museum of Art 

While Desperate Romantics took great liberties with the truth about the brotherhood, it has encouraged many people to go and enjoy their art. How many of us have gazed in wonder at Ophelia in Tate Britain who would not have done so without Desperate Romantics giving us the tale behind the painting? 

Aidan himself knew little of Rossetti and the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood before taking on the role, but when Last Broadcast suggested he could now probably use the group as his specialist subject on Mastermind he laughed: "Do you know what, I probably could – I know so much about this guy!"

"I'd heard of Rossetti and I recognised some of the Brotherhood paintings but I didn't even study art in secondary school. But that's the great thing about this job – you can completely immerse yourself in a character. There's so much information on these guys – endless amounts of books and a fantastic website which has everything he's ever done, every sketch he's ever made, every painting he's ever painted."

If you too have been bitten by the Pre-Raphaelite bug you can catch the Met exhibition from now until 26 October.