Professor Jane Desmarais

Staff details

Position

Professor of English, Head of Department and Director of the Decadence Research Centre

Department

English and Creative Writing

Email

j.desmarais (@gold.ac.uk)

Links

X
@JaneDesmarais

Website
volupte.gold.ac.uk

Website
bads.gold.ac.uk

Website
decadocs.blog

Goldsmiths Research Centres/Groups

Decadence Research Centre

Literary and visual decadence and Anglo-French cultural relations in the late 19th century.

Jane Desmarais is Professor of English and Director of the Decadence Research Centre, Editor-in-Chief of Volupté: Interdisciplinary Journal of Decadence Studies, and Chair of the British Association of Decadence Studies (BADS). She is Research Fellow of the School of Advanced Study, University of London.

Academic qualifications

Ph.D., ‘The Beardsley Industry’, Birkbeck, University of London 1995
MA, Literature and the Visual Arts, 1840-1940, Reading University 1986
BA Hons. English, Reading University 1985

Research interests

Jane's research is primarily focused on nineteenth-century literature and visual culture, specifically literary and visual decadence, and Anglo-French cultural relations at the fin de siècle. Her recent publications include Decadence and Literature, co-edited with David Weir (Cambridge UP, 2019), Monsters Under Glass: A Cultural History of Hothouse Flowers from 1850 to the Present (Reaktion, 2018), Arthur Symons: Selected Early Poems, co-edited with Chris Baldick (MHRA, 2016), and Decadence and the Senses, co-edited with Alice Condé (Legenda, 2016). She is co-editor with David Weir of the Oxford Handbook of Decadence (Oxford UP, 2021) and co-editor with Adam Alston of Decadent Plays, 1890-1930 (Bloomsbury, 2023). Her most recent publication is Classic Stories from the Age of Decadence (Pan Macmillan, 2025).

She is an Honorary Member of the Italian Oscar Wilde Society and was recently elected to the Academia Europaea.

Jane also publishes in the fields of history and psychoanalysis. She has worked on the Collected Works of Jeremy Bentham (Oxford) and the journal Utilitas (Edinburgh UP). Her work in psychoanalysis focuses on two principal ideas: resistance and complementarity; and her most recent publication in this field is Presence of Mind in Neurophysiological Processes (with Lawrence Goldie).

Featured publications

2021: The Oxford Handbook of Decadence
Ed. Jane Desmarais and David Weir

2019: Decadence and Literature (Cambridge Critical Concepts series)
Ed. Jane Desmarais and David Weir

2018: Monsters Under Glass
A Cultural History of Hothouse Flowers from 1850 to the Present

2016: Arthur Symons, Selected Early Poems
Ed. Jane Desmarais and Chris Baldick

2016: Decadence and the Senses
Ed. Jane Desmarais and Alice Condé

Grants and awards

Funding overview:
Jane has received external grant funding from several organisations to support her work including: the AHRC, British Academy, ESSE, MHRA, Paul Mellon Centre of Studies in British Art

2025: DECADOCS
DECADOCS (MSCA-JD Action, funded by the European Commission under Grant Agreement 101227176) is the first European doctoral network dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of decadence.

Publications and research outputs

Book

Monsters Under Glass: A Cultural History of Hothouse Flowers from 1850 to the Present Desmarais, Jane H. . 2018. Monsters Under Glass: A Cultural History of Hothouse Flowers from 1850 to the Present. London: Reaktion. ISBN 9781780239750
A Cultural History of Decadence Desmarais, Jane H. . 2016. A Cultural History of Decadence. Cambridge: Polity Press. ISBN 978-0745626000
Presence of Mind in Neurophysiological Processes Goldie, Lawrence; and Desmarais, Jane H. . 2013. Presence of Mind in Neurophysiological Processes. Karnac Books. ISBN 9781855758858

Edited Book

Decadent Plays, 1890-1930 Alston, Adam ; and Desmarais, Jane H. , eds. 2024. Decadent Plays, 1890-1930. London: Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781350171824
The Oxford Handbook of Decadence Desmarais, Jane H. ; and Weir, David, eds. 2020. The Oxford Handbook of Decadence. New York and London: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780190066956
Decadence and Literature Desmarais, Jane H. ; and Weir, David, eds. 2019. Decadence and Literature. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781108550826

Edited Journal

Translating Decadence Coste, Bénédicte; and Desmarais, Jane H. , eds. 2024. Translating Decadence, Quaderni di LEA - Scrittore e Scritture d'Oriente e d'Occidente, 6. 1824-484X
Volupté: Interdisciplinary Journal of Decadence Studies Desmarais, Jane H. , ed. 2018. Volupté: Interdisciplinary Journal of Decadence Studies, Volupté: Interdisciplinary Journal of Decadence Studies, 1(1).

Book Section

Taste: Savoring Decadence Desmarais, Jane H. ; and Weir, David. 2021. Taste: Savoring Decadence. In: Jane Desmarais and David Weir, eds. The Oxford Handbook of Decadence. New York and London: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780190066956
Touch: Unfeeling Decadence Desmarais, Jane H. . 2021. Touch: Unfeeling Decadence. In: Jane Desmarais and David Weir, eds. The Oxford Handbook of Decadence. New York and London: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780190066956
Prose Poetry: All the Rest is Literature Desmarais, Jane H. ; and Weir, David. 2020. Prose Poetry: All the Rest is Literature. In: Jane H. Desmarais and David Weir, eds. The Oxford Handbook of Decadence. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 351-367. ISBN 9780190066956

Introduction: Decadence, Culture, and Society Desmarais, Jane H. ; and Weir, David. 2020. Introduction: Decadence, Culture, and Society. In: Jane Desmarais and David Weir, eds. The Oxford Handbook of Decadence. New York and London: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780190066956
'Symons, Beardsley, and the "Minims and Crotchets" of Art' Desmarais, Jane H. . 2019. 'Symons, Beardsley, and the "Minims and Crotchets" of Art'. In: Stefano Evangelista and Elisa Bizzotto, eds. Arthur Symons: Poet, Critic, Vagabond. 44 Oxford: Legenda, pp. 30-41. ISBN 9781781884973
Decadence and the Critique of Modernity Desmarais, Jane H. . 2019. Decadence and the Critique of Modernity. In: Jane H. Desmarais and David Weir, eds. Decadence and Literature. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 98-114. ISBN 9781108550826
'The quintessence of quintessence': Music and Musicality in Ernest Dowson’s Verse Desmarais, Jane H. . 2019. 'The quintessence of quintessence': Music and Musicality in Ernest Dowson’s Verse. In: Alice Condé and Jessica Gossling, eds. In Cynara's Shadow: Collected Essays on Ernest Dowson. Oxford: Peter Lang, pp. 245-272. ISBN 9781787076259
‘Prig’s prattling’ at the Fin de Siècle: Haldane MacFall and the Decay of English Art’ Desmarais, Jane H. . 2018. ‘Prig’s prattling’ at the Fin de Siècle: Haldane MacFall and the Decay of English Art’. In: Bénédicte Coste, ed. Politics and Aestheticism.
Without Memory or desire: the model's progress in du Maurier's Trilby Desmarais, Jane H. . 2016. Without Memory or desire: the model's progress in du Maurier's Trilby. In: Paul Goldman and Simon Cooke, eds. George du Maurier: Illustrator, Critic, Author. Ashgate Publishing Limited; New edition. ISBN 978-1472431592
Du Maurier and the Artist’s Model’ Desmarais, Jane H. . 2016. Du Maurier and the Artist’s Model’. In: Paul Goldman and Simon Cooke, eds. George du Maurier: Illustrator, Critic, Author: Beyond Svengali. Farnham: Ashgate. ISBN 9781472431592
Perfume Clouds: Olfaction, Memory, and Desire in Arthur Symons’s London Nights (1895) Desmarais, Jane H. . 2015. Perfume Clouds: Olfaction, Memory, and Desire in Arthur Symons’s London Nights (1895). In: Jane Ford; Kim Edward Keates and Patricia Pulham, eds. Economies of Desire at the Victorian Fin de Siècle: Libidinal Lives. Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 62-79. ISBN 9781138826342
'Model on the Writers' Block' Desmarais, Jane H. . 2006. 'Model on the Writers' Block'. In: Jane H. Desmarais; Martin Postle and Martin Vaughan, eds. Model and Supermodel: The Artist’s Model in British Art and Culture. Manchester: Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-0-7190-6662-7
The model on the writers' block: The model in fiction from Balzac to du Maurier Desmarais, Jane H. . 2006. The model on the writers' block: The model in fiction from Balzac to du Maurier. In: Jane H. Desmarais; Martin Postle and Martin Vaughan, eds. Model and supermodel: The artists' model in British art and culture. Manchester: Manchester University Press. ISBN 071906662X
The model on the writers' block: The model in fiction from Balzac to du Maurier Desmarais, Jane H. . 2006. The model on the writers' block: The model in fiction from Balzac to du Maurier. In: Jane H. Desmarais; M. Postle and W. Vaughan, eds. Model and Supermodel: The Artist's Model in British Art and Culture. Manchester University Press, pp. 47-60. ISBN 071906662X
‘Motherless Child and the Refusal of Maternity’ (‘Enfant sans maman et le refus de la maternité’) Desmarais, Jane H. . 2006. ‘Motherless Child and the Refusal of Maternity’ (‘Enfant sans maman et le refus de la maternité’). In: Moira Inghilleri, ed. Swinging Her Breasts at History: Language, Body and Text in Caribbean Women’s Writing. Mango Publishing, pp. 210-223. ISBN 978-1902294216
The Model: Susannah Gregory in conversation with Jane Desmarais Desmarais, Jane H. . 2005. The Model: Susannah Gregory in conversation with Jane Desmarais. In: Jane H. Desmarais; Martin Postle and William Vaughan, eds. Model and Supermodel: The Artist’s Model in British Art and Culture. Manchester: Manchester University Press, pp. 151-161. ISBN 978-0-7190-6662-7
Joseph Wright’ Desmarais, Jane H. . 2004. Joseph Wright’. In: Christopher John Murray, ed. Encyclopedia of the Romantic Era 1760–1850 Vol 2. 2 London: Fitzroy Dearborn, pp. 1235-1236. ISBN 978-1579583613
Le Salon de 1846 Desmarais, Jane H. . 2004. Le Salon de 1846. In: Christopher John Murray, ed. Encyclopedia of the Romantic Era 1760–1850 Vol 2. 2 London: Fitzroy Dearborn, pp. 985-986. ISBN 978-1579583613
Charles Baudelaire’ Desmarais, Jane H. . 2004. Charles Baudelaire’. In: Christopher John Murray, ed. Encyclopedia of the Romantic Era 1760–1850 Vol 1. 1 London: Fitzroy Dearborn, pp. 59-61. ISBN 978-1579583613
‘Judge a Book by Its Cover’ Desmarais, Jane H. . 2001. ‘Judge a Book by Its Cover’. In: Warwick Gould, ed. Yeats and the Nineties Yeats Annual No 14: A Special Number. 14 Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 365-371. ISBN 978-0-333-71640-3
Maria Edgeworth 1768-1849 Desmarais, Jane H. . 1998. Maria Edgeworth 1768-1849. In: Joanne Shattock, ed. The Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature Volume 4. 1800–1900. 4 Cambridge University Press, pp. 901-907. ISBN 9780521391009
Honoré de Balzac’ Desmarais, Jane H. . 1997. Honoré de Balzac’. In: UNSPECIFIED, ed. The Novel. University of London. ISBN 07187 14342

Article

Introduction Coste, Bénédicte; and Desmarais, Jane H. . 2024. Introduction. Quaderni di LEA - Scrittore e Scritture d'Oriente e d'Occidente(6), pp. 7-10. ISSN 1824-484X
Decadent Aesthetics in Cyril Scott’sTranslations and Song Settings Desmarais, Jane H. . 2024. Decadent Aesthetics in Cyril Scott’sTranslations and Song Settings. Quaderni di LEA - Scrittore e Scritture d'Oriente e d'Occidente, 6, pp. 81-100. ISSN 1824-484X
Late-Victorian Decadent Song Literature Desmarais, Jane H. . 2021. Late-Victorian Decadent Song Literature. Victorian Literature and Culture, 49(4), pp. 689-710. ISSN 1060-1503

Conference or Workshop Item

The Musical Aesthetics (‘such as it is’) of Arthur Symons (1865-1945) Desmarais, Jane H. . 2015. 'The Musical Aesthetics (‘such as it is’) of Arthur Symons (1865-1945)'. In: Arthur Symons: Writing Across Arts and Cultures. IUAV, Venice, Italy.
Memory and desire in Arthur Symons’ London Nights (1895) Desmarais, Jane H. . 2011. 'Memory and desire in Arthur Symons’ London Nights (1895)'. In: Decadent Poetics. University of Exeter, United Kingdom.

Digital

Volupté: Interdisciplinary Journal of Decadence Studies Gossling, Jessica ; and Condé, Alice . 2018. Volupté: Interdisciplinary Journal of Decadence Studies.

Performance

Decadent Plays Alston, Adam ; Desmarais, Jane H. ; and Meth, Jonathan . 2021. Decadent Plays. In: "Decadent Plays", The Albany, London, United Kingdom, 10 November 2021.

Professional Activity

Editor-in-Chief of Volupté: interdisciplinary journal of decadence studies Desmarais, Jane H. . 2018. Editor-in-Chief of Volupté: interdisciplinary journal of decadence studies.

Media engagements

2025: BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Decadence and Declinism
Matthew Sweet assesses the state of contemporary culture, with guests Tim Stanley, Jane Desmarais, Louisa Buck, and Neville Morley.

2024: Seek the Light - I'm Not Who You Think - BBC Sounds
Singer, story teller and seven-times Radio 2 Folk Awards winner, Karine Polwart begins the series with the story of the Sabal B

Articles related to Professor Jane Desmarais

New doctoral network to reinterpret decadence

16 Jun 2025

Goldsmiths student receives Royal Society of Literature award

16 Jan 2025