The storm of abuse caused by his two first pictures assisted a
natural inclination to give up his first source of religio-mystical
inspiration. Gradually the young painter groped his way towards
romantic subjects and discovered a rich mine of them in the works of
Browning, Dante, Keats, and the "Morte d'Arthur" of Malory. He may be
said to have found there the subjects of most of his compositions, and
his works inspired by these poets are delightfully full of originality
and ingenuity.
He tried first a large canvas from the page's song in "Pippa Passes"
but had to abandon it. The composition of it remains in a little
painting called "Hist, said Kate the Queen," dated 1851. He executed
two other pen-and-ink designs from Browning entitled "Taurellos' first
sight of Fortune" and the "Laboratory," at about the same time.
Probably the latter was his first essay in water-colour, it is very
different from those for which he is popularly known.
In "Beatrice at the Wedding Feast, denying her salutation to Dante," a
small water-colour of 1849 from the "Vita Nuova," the central figure is
a portrait of Miss Elizabeth Siddal who became acquainted with Rossetti
at about this date. She was the daughter of a Sheffield cutler and was
working in a milliner's shop. Walter Deverell discovered her one day,
when he was shopping with his mother. He persuaded her to sit for him
for his "Viola" and later to Rossetti. Her portrait can be seen in a
picture by Holman Hunt and in Millais' Ophelia. Miss Siddal sat for
most of the women in Rossetti's earliest and finest water-colours.
To 1851 belongs the beautiful little composition called "Borgia," in
which Lucrezia can be seen dressed in an ample white gown brightened
all over with coloured ribbons and bows, sitting with a lute in her
hands. In the foreground two children are dancing. Leaning over her
left shoulder is the Pope Alexander VI., while her brother Cæsar stands
on the other side beating time with a knife against a wine-glass on the
table.
Rossetti was not long in discovering that Miss Siddal had a strong
aptitude for art. With his special gift of influencing others the
position of model was soon merged into that of a pupil. Under his
guidance Miss Siddal made rapid progress and her water-colours show a
fine sense of colour.
The sympathy between artist and pupil ripened into affection. The exact
date of their engagement is not known, but it was probably in 1853,
certainly not later than 1854, and was at first kept secret at Miss
Siddal's request.
To the year 1854 belongs the water-colour, "King Arthur's Tomb,"
in which Lancelot and Guenevere are seen bidding farewell over
the tomb of King Arthur; and to the following year belong the three
water-colours, "The Nativity," "La Belle Dame Sans Merci," and the
"Annunciation," as well as the drawing for a wood-cut, illustrating a
poem called "The Maids of Elfen-Mere" by William Allingham.
[Illustration: PLATE IV.--BEATA BEATRIX
From the oil painting (34 in. by 27 in.) painted in 1863 for Lord
Mount-Temple, now in the Tate Gallery
Though undoubtedly inspired by the death of his wife, the motive of
this picture was ostensibly taken from the Vita Nuova. The Latin
quotation inscribed on the frame, which was designed by Rossetti
himself, is taken from the following passage:
"After this most gracious creature had gone out from among us,
the whole city came to be as it were widowed and despoiled of all
dignity. Then I, left mourning in this desolate city, wrote unto the
principal persons thereof, in an epistle, concerning its condition;
taking for my commencement those words of Jeremias: Quomodo sedet
sola civitas! etc."