Dante Gabriel Rossetti's Poetry Through Paintings
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Dante Gabriel Rossetti was a well-known poet and artist of
the Victorian Era. One of the
founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, he helped trigger a movement in
both art and literature. Rossetti
was known for his detailed paintings that were often complimented by his
poetry. His poetry was rarely written
prior to the completion of his paintings.
With such detail and symbolism in his paintings, Dante Gabriel Rossetti was
able to illustrate his poetry before even putting a quill to the paper.
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
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Born in 1828, Dante Gabriel Rossetti was from a creative
family who originated from Italy@Everett, Glenn. Dante Gabriel Rossett - Biography.
1988. 9 July 2012 <http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/dgr/dgrseti13.html>.. Of his three
siblings, Rossetti’s older brother, William Michael, was a writer and his younger
sister, Christina, became a famous female poet of her time@Black, Joseph Laurence. The Broadview Anthology of British
Literature: The Victorian Era. 2. Vol. 5. Peterborough: Broadview Press,
2012.. Rossetti loved both painting and writing. He attended school briefly to pursue art, but soon realized he was not one to sit in the classroom. During this time, Dante Gabriel Rossetti formed the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. In addition to Rossetti, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood included his brother William Michael Rossetti, William Holman Hunt, Thomas Woolner, John Everett Millais, Frederic George Stephens, and James Collinson.@Black, Joseph Laurence. The Broadview Anthology of British Literature: The Victorian Era. 2. Vol. 5. Peterborough: Broadview Press, 2012. The brotherhood came together on the common grounds of viewing art differently than most had at the time and wanting to see some kind of reform. |
When it came to Dante Gabriel Rossetti's art, many of his paintings told a story. It was well-known that he would first create a painting before writing some poetry to go along side it. Even if there was just one model in the painting, Rossetti would put great detail in all his work. In many cases you are able to look at his paintings and can tell what the corresponding poem is about before even reading it.
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The Blessed Damozel (with predella)
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
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"The Blessed Damozel" was first published in the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood's journal The Germ in 1850@Black, Joseph Laurence. The Broadview Anthology of British Literature: The Victorian Era. 2. Vol. 5. Peterborough: Broadview Press, 2012.. Unlike the majority of Dante Gabriel Rossetti's work, "The Blessed Damozel" was written prior to the painting being created@McGann, Jerome J. The Blessed Damozel (with predella).
2008. 9 July 2012 <http://www.rossettiarchive.org/docs/s244.rap.html>.. Although the painting was an afterthought, it can still be seen how Rossetti portrays the entire story through his painting. Rossetti uses symbolism throughout this painting. The lilies in the Damozel's arms are a symbol of death and the stars in her hair represent heaven. From just looking at the painting we are made aware that this woman must have past-on. The painting is also spit up into three sections. At the top is the Damozel in heaven. The middle of the painting has other lover's waiting for their loved one before crossing over and/or enjoying the afterlife. The bottom section, or predella, shows the daydreaming lover of the Damozel.
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This predella was an addition to the original painting.
When searching for this painting, many versions can be found without this
bottom portion. Until the bottom portion with the daydreaming lover was added,
it would have been difficult to determine what the poem was about by solely
viewing the painting. That being said, by examining the most noticeable details
in the painting as a whole, it can already be seen that this is a poem of a
young lover who has lost his lady and is dreaming of her up in heaven waiting
for him.
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Predella of The Blessed Damozel
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
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