Anna Brownell Jameson

Anna Brownell Jameson (1794–1860) was an Anglo-Irish writer and art critic whose work helped shape Victorian discussions of literature, art, and women’s roles. Born in Dublin, she spent much of her career in England and became known for perceptive criticism and accessible scholarship. Her early success, *Characteristics of Women* (1832), offered influential readings of Shakespeare’s female characters. Jameson later turned increasingly to art history, producing widely read studies of Christian iconography, including *Sacred and Legendary Art* (1848). She also traveled in North America and published *Winter Studies and Summer Rambles in Canada* (1838). Her writings are often associated with early feminist thought.