Dante Gabriel Rossetti: An English poet and painter who, along with Millais and Holman Hunt, founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in an attempt to free themselves and other artists from the neoclassical conventions of art that the Royal Academy of Art saw as proper. He exemplified Pre-Raphaelite art’s flattened perspective, "fidelity to nature," typological details, mannerist figures, and illuminated colors. His “work presents an iconoclastic and personal mythology in which art and eroticism mediate spiritual redemption.” His wife, Elizabeth Siddal, posed for not only his paintings, but for Millais and Holmen Hunt’s works as well.
Description - This painting depicts Mary and her mother, St. Anne, both with halos above their heads, sewing red cloth. The facial features and colors that both of them are wearing seem to convey very little emotion. The main focus, however, is not on the characters, but rather, the red shroud symbolising Jesus’ future shroud and the blood that will be spilt throughout the story of the bible. On the left portion of the painting is the red-winged angel watering the lily of innocence. The lily lies on top of an unusual pile of books. The books are so unusual because it was rare for even wealthy households to own books, let alone the Virgin Mary in her youth. A rose can be seen on the windowsill. In the background, behind the window in Mary’s father, St. Joachim, pruning vines with a dove at his back.
Historical - This was created by Dante Gabriel Rossetti in 1849 and was the first painting to ever be labeled with the mark “PRB” (Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood). It was considered to be a foreshadowing of Millais’ “Christ in the House of his Parents” due to the focus on a biblical figure’s childhood, despite very little mention of that time in his/her life.
Style - “Was painting in oils with water-colour brushes, as thinly as in water-colour, on canvas which he had primed with white till the surface was as smooth as cardboard, and every tint remained transparent”
Symbolism - As you can see, this painting is saturated with religious figures and symbols, such as the lily, which connotes purity. The dove is a metaphor for the holy spirit and the rose signifies virginity. Some interpretations say that the books are placed in the scene more for their colors; green means hope and gold means charity.
Symbolism - As you can see, this painting is saturated with religious figures and symbols, such as the lily, which connotes purity. The dove is a metaphor for the holy spirit and the rose signifies virginity. Some interpretations say that the books are placed in the scene more for their colors; green means hope and gold means charity.
