Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)

[Drawing mainly on The Victorian Web]

Chronology: http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/crossetti/rossettitl.html
Brief biography: http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/crossetti/rossettibio.html

See Norton, colour insert for two paintings by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (C 45)

Pre-Raphaelite: explained. Return to painting before Raphael, especially medieval.; but also emphasis on nature.
Raphael (1483-1520): Raphael Madonna
Rossetti: Proserpine

Elizabeth Siddal was the primary muse for Dante Gabriel Rossetti. She died 1861; exhumed 1869. Cf. "In an Artist's Studio"

Christina regarded as Pre-Raphaelite by contemporary critics. See this, from Harrison: http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/crossetti/harrison2/2.1.html#pr. See (lower down) John Dixon Hunt's definition of the Pre-Raphaelite imagination. See also further discussion about whether Christina's values are Pre-Raphaelite.

Sonnets (2140-41): "After Death"; "In an Artist's Studio"; "Goblin Market" (2143)

"After Death." See the commentary at: http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/crossetti/gpl1.html. Reminds us of the ethereal ideal woman of Victorian period, here the dead or dying woman. Christina offers "a woman's view of male conceptions of romantic love and loss." Image of lost love: http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/crossetti/healey6.html

"In an Artist's Studio": brief commentary and questions, http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/crossetti/byecroft7.html

"Goblin Market": visual imagery, http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/crossetti/newman6.html. And see other commentaries on this page: http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/crossetti/lq.html; and this: http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/crossetti/marketov.html

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Document prepared January 29th 2007