How do a BBC fever dream, Victorian sex scandals, and a secret brotherhood of rebellious artists rewrite what we think we know about the past? In this provocative episode of History for F**k’s Sake host Sarah Dowd is joined by Dr. Alison Smith, Director of Collections and Research at the Wallace Collection, and one of the UK’s leading voices on 19th-century British art and the Victorian nude.Together, they discuss Ken Russell’s wild 1967 film Dante’s Inferno to interrogate the pop-culture myth of the Pre-Raphaelites and pull back the curtain on the revolution these artists launched in the age of upheaval. Exploring how 1848 upended ideas about morality, class, the body, and who gets to tell the stories of beauty and power.Why did the female nude become a political battleground on canvas? Why are we still haunted by Victorian debates over agency and control? And can we ever escape the straitjackets of archetype and respectability whether in art galleries or on TikTok?If you’ve ever wondered why history is never just old news, this is essential listening.Here are the highlights:00:00 Intro: Ken Russell’s Dante’s Inferno, and the Pre-Raphaelite myth01:08 Dr. Alison Smith, her journey through Britain’s top museums and falling for Pre-Raphaelite art02:37 Why Dante’s Inferno is so wild, silly, and unsettling05:38 Victorian art, sexuality, and why the 1960s needed to rebel against it08:03 Who were the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB)13:03 Millais’ Christ in the House of His Parents shocks the Victorians14:13 What happens when the revolutionary spirit falters?17:22 The female form: how the PRB changed the depiction of women20:24 From faces and gestures to the classical revival of the nude22:11 Who narrates women’s stories through art?26:04 Women artists' agency, and why Elizabeth Siddal wasn’t just a “muse”28:28 Female archetypes in the Victorian era -why we’re still trying to break free today30:32 The tension over what museums “should” show33:52 Are we the new Victorians?38:24 Must-see Pre-Raphaelite artworks across Britain40:01 Stained glass, architecture, and why Romantic art makes our hearts soarAbout Dr. Alison Smith, BA, DPhil:Dr Alison Smith is Director of Collections and Research at the Wallace Collection. A leading specialist in nineteenth-century British art, she has previously held senior curatorial roles at the National Portrait Gallery and Tate Britain, where she spent eighteen years as a curator of British art to 1900. During her time at Tate she curated and co-curated major exhibitions including Pre-Raphaelites: Victorian Avant-Garde, Millais, Exposed: The Victorian Nude, Artist and Empire, and Burne-Jones.Born in Brighton, Alison studied History of Art at the University of Nottingham before completing her MA and PhD at the Courtauld Institute of Art. She has written widely on Victorian art and culture, and her work has played an important role in reinterpreting the Pre-Raphaelites as one of Britain’s first modern art movements.About Sarah Dowd:I’m Sarah Dowd - writer, speaker, heritage and arts consultant, producer, and all-around nerd - here to share the stories of our past that make us laugh, gasp, and mutter: It’s History… For F***k’s Sake.For 25+ years I’ve created immersive, inclusive experiences that bring history alive, from rallying Second World War convoys through London to staging performances between Pearly Kings and Gen Z creatives. My work spans museums, cathedral crypts, pop-up theatres, global brands, and community projects across the UK and beyond.As a Canadian living between the UK and France (with a late ADHD diagnosis that fuels my curiosity and creativity), I zigzag through culture, history, and big ideas, but never boring ones.Every week on HistoryFFS, we explore how history echoes through today, make sure you are following the show so you don’t miss an episode.Connect with Sarah:Website: www.historyffs.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahdowd/https://www.linkedin.com/company/historyffs-pod/Substack: @historyffsYouTube: @HistoryFFSPod Instagram: @historyFFSPodTikTok: @historyffspodX: @HistoryFFSPod Bluesky: @historyffs.bsky.socialFollow the show for new episodes exploring the objects, people, and moments that shaped our world. If you want the story AND the sound of the past, this is essential listening.