DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI

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DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI

• THE GIRLHOOD OF MARY VIRGIN

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(No Transcript)
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ROSSETTIS COMMENTSIN A LETTER TO CHARLES LYELL

• It belongs to the religious class which has
  always appeared to me the most adapted and the
  most worthy to interest the members of a
  Christian community. The subject is the education
  of the Blessed Virgin. In order, therefore, to
  attempt something more probable and at the same
  time less commonplace, I have represented the
  future Mother of Our Lord as occupied in
  embroidering a lily,always under the direction
  of St. Anne the flower she is copying being held
  by two little angels. At a large window in the
  background, her father is seen pruning a vine.
  There are various symbolic accessories which it
  is needless to describe

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ABOUT THE PAINTING

• ROSSETTI REGARDED THE VIRGIN MARY AS THE HIGHEST
  TYPE OF FEMALE VIRTUE
• HIS FIRST EXHIBITED PAINTING WAS OF HER AS GIRL
  SEATED WITH HER MOTHER ST. ANNE
• MARY IS EMBROIDERING A LILY, AND SHE IS TENDED
  BY A CHILD ANGEL
• THE PAINTING ATTEMPTS TO SHOW THE EDUCATION OF
  MARY

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CHARACTERISTIC OF PRE-RAPHAELITE
PAINTINGNATURALISM

• LOVE OF NATURAL OBJECTS, ESPECIALLY PLANTS FOR
  THEIR OWN SAKE
• WEALTH OF DETAIL RICHNESS, FULLNESS AND LOTS OF
  ORNAMENTATION
• PRETERNATURAL BRILLIANCE - LOVE OF COLOR AND
  LIGHT SHOWN WITH CLARITY AND DELICACY

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NATURALISM

• MARYS FATHER PRUNING VINES
• MARY IS EMBRODERING A LILY
• LILY BEING GROWN IN POT
• SEVEN-LEAVED PALM ON THE GROUND
• VERY DETAILED PAINTING LEAVES, BACKGROUND
• COLOR AND LIGHT APPEAR NATURAL AND DELICATE,
  MAYBE SUNKISSED

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CHARACTERISTIC OF PRE-RAPHAELITE
PAINTINGNATURAL SUPERNATURALISM

• ATTEMPT TO UNITE THE WORLD OF NATURE WITH THE
  WORLD OF SPIRIT, CONNECT BODY AND SOUL, REAL AND
  IDEAL
• TENDENCY TOWARD RELIGIOUS SYMBOLISM AND SYMBOLIC
  ATMOSPHERES
• SYMBOLS TEND TO BE MYSETERIOUS AND IMPLY
  ASSOCIATION WITH THE SUPERNATURAL

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SUPERNATURAL SYMBOLS

• LILY MARYS PURITY
• VINE CHRISTIAN TRUTH AND SACRIFICE OF CHRISTS
  LIFE
• ROSE ASSOCIATED WITH VIRGIN
• PALM PREDICTS FORTHCOMING PASSION OF CHRIST
• DOVE HOLY SPIRIT

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SUPERNATURAL SYMBOLS

• RED CLOAK ROBE OF CHRIST
• LAMP PIETY
• LATICE CROSS
• ANGEL GABRIEL WHO ANNOUNCED MARY WOULD BEAR THE
  SON OF GOD
• BOOKS REPRESENT THE 3 CARDINAL AND THEOLOGICAL
  VIRTURES

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TWO SONNETS

• This is that blessed Mary, pre-electGod's
  Virgin. Gone is a great while, and sheWas young
  in Nazareth of Galilee.Her kin she cherished
  with devout respectHer gifts were simpleness of
  intellect And supreme patience. From her mother's
  kneeFaithful and hopeful wise in charity
  Strong in grave peace in duty circumspect.So
  held she through her girlhood as it wereAn
  angel-watered lily, that near GodGrows, and is
  quiet. Till one dawn, at home,She woke in her
  white bed, and had no fear At all, - yet wept
  till sunshine, and felt awedBecause the
  fullness of the time was come.

• These are the symbols. On that cloth of red I'
  the centre, is the Tripoint, - perfect
  eachExcept the second of its points, to teach
  That Christ is not yet born. The books (whose
  headIs golden Charity, as Paul hath said)Those
  virtues are wherein the soul is rich Therefore
  on them the lily standeth, whichIs Innocence,
  being interpreted.The seven-thorned briar and
  the palm seven-leavedAre her great sorrows and
  her great reward.Until the time be full, the
  Holy OneAbides without. She soon shall have
  achievedHer perfect purity yea, God the
  LordShall soon vouchsafe His Son to be her Son.