In 1863 Rossetti painted an oil picture called “Helen of Troy,” and the last of the St. George subjects, representing St. George killing the dragon, which is a water-colour version of the stained-glass series. Then come three small subjects, “Belcolore,” a girl in a circular frame biting a rosebud. Of this there is a red chalk study and a water-colour version, “Brimfull,” a water-colour showing a lady stooping to sip from a full glass, and a picture called “A Lady in Yellow.”
Rossetti now gave up painting those quaint little romantic subjects so intense in literary feeling and dramatic expression, and devoted himself to large single figures upon a background of rich accessories.
When a painter makes a single figure the central interest of his picture, he must, to a certain extent, avail himself of psychological facts in the model before him, for if he recognises no limits to the foreign sentiment and character he may impose, he will, little by little, fall to the creation of a type which is not far short of a monstrosity. Although the first of his pictures in this new style are among his finest works we see this inevitable degeneration in Rossetti’s latest paintings.
The first pictures of this kind and some of the best are, “Fazio’s Mistress,” and “Lady Lilith.” The former is dated 1863, but was altered and repainted ten years later, and Rossetti changed its title to “Aurelia.” In 1864 he painted the latter which is a modern conception of that first wife of Adam mentioned in the old Talmudic Legend. The Lady Lilith is seated against a background covered with roses. Dressed in white, she holds a mirror in her hand, and combs her long fair hair. Although dated 1864 it was really not finished until 1867. The face as it is now was repainted in 1873 from a different model, and is said to be quite inferior to the former one. Rossetti at that time seemed to be a victim of a mania for repainting his earlier work.
The next great picture, begun in 1864, is “Venus Verticordia,” the oil version of which was not finished before 1868. It represents the nude bust of a massively built woman surrounded by roses and honeysuckle. She holds an arrow in her right hand and in the left an apple on which a yellow butterfly has alighted. The face is conventionally pretty and lacks character.
“Morning Music,” an elaborate little water-colour; “Monna Pomona,” a girl holding an apple with roses on her lap and in a basket at her side; “How Sir Galahad, Sir Bors, and Sir Percival received the Holy Grael” (done in his earlier manner); “Roman de la Rose,” a water-colour version of the earlier panel, and “The Madness of Ophelia,” represent the remaining production of 1864.
There is little to mention in 1865. The most important productions of that year were “The Blue Bower,” and “The Merciless Lady.” In the “Merciless Lady,” a water-colour in the style of his earlier romantic manner, a man sits on a bank of turf between two maidens, with a sunlit meadow behind. He seems attracted by the one on his left who is fair and plays a lute, the other, his lady love, holds his hand and with a sad expression tries to win him back to her. “A Fight for a Woman,” the composition of which is of a very early date, and the oil-painting, “Bella e Buona,” but renamed “Il Ramoscello,” were also painted in 1865.
After these came “The Beloved,” finished in 1866, but worked again in 1873, this time without being spoiled. In writing to the owner of this picture Rossetti said: “I mean it to be like jewels,” and he carried out his intention. In the middle of the picture is the fair-haired bride radiant in rich stuffs, her gown is green, with large sleeves embroidered in gold and red. She is surrounded by four dark-haired maidens, on the foreground a little negro, adorned with a head-band and a necklace showing the beautiful invention of Rossetti’s taste in decorative art, is holding a golden vase of roses.
Next comes the “Monna Vanna,” which represents a lady dressed in a magnificent embroidered robe with large sleeves, holding a fan of black and yellow plumes. Her luxuriant hair is falling from each side of her face on to her shoulders, a bunch of roses is seen in a vase on the left top corner of the picture.
“The Sibylla Palmifera,” and “Monna Vanna,” were not completed before 1870. The latter represents a Sibyl sitting underneath a stone canopy, which is carved on one side with a cupid’s head wreathed with roses, and on the other with a skull crowned with red poppies. The Sibyl is clad in crimson, her brown hair is parted and falling each side of her face, a green coif spreads from her head over her shoulder and she holds a palm-leaf in her hand. There is a replica of the head of “Sibylla Palmifera.” In the same year (1866) he painted in oils a portrait of his mother, and made a large crayon drawing of his sister Christina. He also made two illustrations for her volume of poems, “The Prince’s Progress.”
In 1867 Rossetti painted in oils “The Christmas Carol,” of which a crayon study exists; “Monna Rosa,” and the “Loving Cup.” For the water-colour, “The Return of Tibullus to Delia,” there are numerous sketches made from Miss Siddal sitting on a couch biting a tress of her hair, which show that the design must have been of a much earlier date. The water-colours, “Aurora,” “Tessa la Bionda;” the crayons, “Magdalene,” “Peace,” “Contemplation,” and the crayon replica, “Venus Verticordia,” bear the same date.
Unfortunately about this time Rossetti began to have serious trouble with his eyesight, and had probably to reduce his hours of work. All the same in 1868 he painted a portrait of Mrs. Morris, who has kindly lent it to the Tate Gallery, where it can now be seen. Several chalk crayon studies have been done for this portrait. Then he began the picture of “The Daydream,” representing Mrs. Morris sitting on the lower branches of a sycamore tree, a replica in water-colour of
“Bocca Baciate,” called “Bionda del Balcone”; “The Rose,” a water-colour; a crayon drawing, “Aurea Catena,” some studies for “La Pia,” which was begun about this time, and a water-colour replica of “Venus Verticordia.”
PLATE VII. — DANTE’S DREAM
From the oil painting (7 ft. 1 by 10 ft. 6½) now in the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
This picture which is considered by some to be Rossetti’s most important work, illustrates the following passage in the Vita Nuova:
“Then my heart that was so full of love said unto me: ‘Is it true that our lady lieth dead’; and it seemed to me that I went to look upon the body wherein that blessed and most noble spirit had had its abiding-place. And so strong was this idle imagining, that it made me behold my lady in death, whose head certain ladies seemed to be covering with a white veil.”
This picture, painted in 1871, passed through several hands and was taken back by Rossetti from Mr. Valpy, on account of its large size in exchange for several smaller works. It was eventually bought by the Liverpool corporation.
Rossetti first treated this subject in a little water-colour painted for Miss Heaton in 1856.
Rossetti had now reached his fortieth year and for about a twelvemonth had been suffering from insomnia. This was the cause of the break-up of his health, for to gain relief he acquired the habit of taking chloral, a drug of which the properties were then little known.
CHAPTER VI.
During a visit to Penkill the thought of publishing his early poems occurred to him. Towards the end of 1869 he was busy with their preparation. Some of them were in circulation in manuscript in a more or less finished condition and some others were buried with his wife. As a relief from the strain of painting he began to write again. “The Ballad of Troy Town,” part of “Eden Bower,” and the “Stream’s Secret,” were among the new poems. He thought at first to collect as many of the earlier works as he could remember, together with those of which friends had manuscript copies, and to have them set up in type as the foundation of a possible volume. But he was persuaded with difficulty to apply for permission to open the grave of his wife in order to recover the buried manuscript. In 1870 the book, under the title, “Poems by Dante Gabriel Rossetti,” was published by Mr. F. S. Ellis, then in King Street, Covent Garden. Round Rossetti and his buried poems a sort of legend had been growing up which,
aided by his fame as a painter, guarded his work against the indifference with which a volume of verses by an unknown poet is bound to be received. The book proved a great success and within a week or two Rossetti found himself in possession of £300.
This success was not achieved without raising some jealousy. Mr. Buchanan, under the pseudonym of “Thomas Maitland” rushed into print with the damning essay that appeared in the Contemporary Review for October 1871, under the title “The Fleshly School of Poetry.” This attack was repeated by the same writer in a pamphlet. Rossetti in ill health and suffering from nervous fancies, considered that there was a conspiracy against him, a view that, had his health been stronger, he would not perhaps have adopted. The publication of the article aggravated his insomnia. Dr. Gordon Hake offered him his house at Roehampton in order to procure a change for the sufferer, who either by accident or of set purpose had taken the contents of a phial of laudanum, and lay for two days between life and death. Prompt treatment, and his strong constitution helped recovery. He was taken to Scotland where he resumed work on a replica of “Beata Beatrix.” Out-of-door exercise, early hours, and absence of worries, helped a great deal to bring about his partial recovery. In September 1872 he left Scotland and went to Kelmscott where he shared a fine Elizabethan manor house with William Morris.
His work during 1872-1874 consisted mostly in repainting many of his earlier pictures. He worked again on “Lilith,” “Beloved,” “Monna Vanna,” and others. In July 1874 he left Kelmscott and came back to London, never to return to the quiet manor house, which from this time was in possession of Morris alone.
Besides retouching his earlier work during the time of his stay at Kelmscott, Rossetti started a number of new canvases, and made a certain number of studies for use in future work. Among them are: “Rosa Triplex,” three heads from the same sitter, Miss May Morris. This drawing is one of four or five versions. A portrait in red chalk on grey-green paper of Mrs. W. J. Stillman, “La Donna de la Fiamma,” and “Silence,” probably studies for pictures never painted, the little head of a lady holding a small branch of rose-leaves called “Rose-leaf.” “Mariana,” an oil painting, its title taken from a scene of “Measure for Measure,” and “A Lady with a Fan,” being a portrait of Mrs. Schott, were all prepared about this time. He also started the first studies for his big picture, “Dante’s Dream,” among them a study from Mrs. Morris for the head of the dead Beatrice, a head of Dante, and studies for the two maidens holding the pall. “Troy Town,” after his own ballad, and “The Death of Lady Macbeth,” are two designs for pictures never painted. “Pandora” was completed in 1871. “Water Willow,” a portrait of Mrs. Morris is specially interesting because the river landscape behind represents Kelmscott. A coloured chalk study for that picture exists, the only difference between the portrait and the study being that the background of the latter represents a river without the view of Kelmscott. The “Dante’s Dream” begun in 1870 was finished towards the end of 1871. It is the largest picture Rossetti ever painted, the subject is that of the early water-colour of 1856, and the picture illustrates the following:
“Then Love spoke thus: ‘Now all shall be made clear;
Come and behold our lady where she lies.’
. . . . . . .
Then carried me to see my lady dead;
And standing at her head
Her ladies put a veil over her;
And with her was such very humbleness
That she appeared to say, ‘I am at peace.’”
In the composition Dante is led by Love to where Beatrice lies dead, and Love bends down to kiss her. On either side of the bier where she lies, two maidens dressed in green are holding a pall covered with May flowers and the floor is strewed with poppies, emblem of death. On each side of the picture there are winding staircases through which one sees the sunny streets of Florence. Love is dressed in flame colour and birds of the same hue are flying about to suggest that the place is filled with the Spirit of Love.
Proserpine was the next picture Rossetti undertook. It was begun on four canvases. The fourth when finished was sold. Rossetti, who at that time had assistants to help him in making the replicas of his earlier work, painted to satisfy the demand of his patrons, and much controversy raged round this picture. It is impossible to say if it was entirely painted by him, but he owned to it although it was not a good one. The purchaser was dissatisfied so he agreed to take it back. The three unfinished versions were cut down and transformed into heads, one of which, with the adding of some floral accessories, and a slight change in the hands, was called “Blanziflore” or “Snowdrops.” One cannot help being a little puzzled by the notion of beginning four canvases of the same picture at the same time, it suggests too much of the commercial spirit.
In 1872 “Veronica Veronese,” and the “Bower Meadow,” were painted, the former illustrating the following lines, supposed to be a quotation taken from Girolamo Ridolfi’s letters which are inscribed on the frame:
“Se penchant vivement la Véronica jeta les premières notes sur la feuille vierge. Ensuite elle prit l’archet du violon pour réaliser son rêve; mais avant de décrocher l’instrument suspendu, elle resta quelques instants immobile en écoutant l’oiseau inspirateur, pendant que sa main gauche errait sur les cordes cherchant le motif suprême encore éloigné. C’était le mariage des voix de la nature et de l’âme — l’aube d’une création mystique.”
The Lady Veronica, dressed in green, is sitting in front of a little table on which is her music manuscript. Behind her on the left-hand top corner is a canary perched on a cage and at her side stands a glass of daffodils. She is leaning forward as if listening
to the bird, plucking with her left hand the strings of a violin hanging on the wall in front of her while she holds the bow in her right hand.
PLATE VIII. — ASTARTE SYRIACA
From the oil painting (74 in. by 43 in.) now in the Corporation Art Gallery at Manchester
This picture was painted for Mr. Clarence Fry of the firm Elliot and Fry, in 1877 and was first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1883.
The “Bower Meadow” represents two women playing instruments and two dancing figures, for which he made charming crayon studies. All these figures were painted on an old background study of trees and foliage he had painted in 1850, in his Pre-Raphaelite days when he was working with Holman Hunt.
The next great oil canvas is dated 1873, and is called “The Ghirlandata.” To this year belongs “Ligeia Siren,” a drawing of a sea-maiden playing on a musical instrument, a preliminary study for “Sea Spell.”
“The Damsel of the Sanc Grael” was painted in 1874; it is a second version of that subject strangely showing the psychological change in Rossetti. The primitive simplicity so characteristic of the mediæval legend and also of his early work has disappeared. The austere damsel has become a “pretty” girl, with fair flowing hair, who holds a goblet. The unfinished “Boat of Love” was also begun in 1874. Rossetti came back to London in that year as has already been stated.
The dissolution of the firm Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. took place at that time and was reconstituted under the sole management of Morris. The dissolution did not take place without a certain amount of friction, caused by the disagreement between Morris and Brown. Rossetti seems to have taken Brown’s part, and although Rossetti and Morris did not quarrel, they saw very little of one another from that date. But it is well to remember that Rossetti lived a very secluded life, seeing very few people and labouring under the delusion that a widespread conspiracy existed against him. This was apparently one of the hallucinations resulting from the habitual use of chloral.
The end of 1875 and beginning of 1876 were passed first in a house at Bognor and after at a friend’s in Hampshire. The artist was then working on his pictures, “The Blessed Damozel,” “The Spirit of the Rainbow,” and “Forced Music.”
In 1877 serious illness kept him two months in bed, and when better he was taken to a little cottage
near Herne Bay. There he was able to resume his work and drew a crayon group of his mother and sister as well as two separate drawings of his sister and one of his mother. To that year belongs the “Astarte Syriaca” (now in the Corporation Art Gallery of Manchester). The Syrian Venus stands against a red sunset sky in which the moon is rising, gazing full face, with large dreamy eyes. On the right and left two angel figures, holding torches, look upwards.
In that year the Grosvenor Gallery was founded and Madox Brown, Rossetti, and Burne-Jones were asked to exhibit. Madox Brown and Rossetti refused, but Burne-Jones accepted. The exhibition of his work there brought him the enormous popularity he enjoyed. Down to that time the public curiosity which had been roused by the controversies following the forming of the P.R.B. had not been satisfied.
CHAPTER VII.
After 1877 Rossetti kept strictly to his house at 16 Cheyne Walk visited only by a few faithful friends.
He began to write again in 1878. By March 1881 he had enough material for a new volume, “Ballads and Sonnets,” the MS. of which was offered to and accepted by Messrs. Ellis & White on the same terms as his first book, now out of print after running into a sixth edition. The “Ballads and Sonnets” met with quite as great success as the earlier volume, this time without any discordant note of criticism. In this year Rossetti sold his great picture of “Dante’s Dream” to the Corporation of Liverpool.
Complete Poetical Works of Dante Gabriel Rossetti Page 52
