Beata Beatrix Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882)

Description of Dante Rossetti’s painting Beatrice the Blessed

Dante Rossetti, like his famous writing idol, had a lover named Beatrice. This similarity was fatal. The girl, as well as the poet’s passions, was not destined for a long and happy life. She died at a very early age from ingesting laudanum. The only significant and significant difference was the fact that Rossetti was married to his beloved. The terrible tragedy happened to Beatrice back in 1862. The artist was very hard experiencing her death. He kept repeating the invisible connection with Dante the poet and his passion. It drove everyone crazy.

It is worth noting that during his wife’s lifetime he often depicted her in paintings. It could have been completely different images, but after her passing it all came to a screeching halt. This painting became a point of reference in a new phase of Dante Rastretti’s style and manner of painting. He called the painting Beatrice the Blessed. It is worth noting that for all his point about his beloved, the artist did not intend to portray death as something bad, shameful or abominable. On the contrary, for him the end of earthly life is a kind of ecstasy. Notice the girl’s face. It clearly doesn’t look clouded or full of misery. That’s right, because death relieves all suffering. It is a kind of spiritual transformation, reincarnation of man. This is what his beloved had also come to.

Rastretti depicted the eyes of Beatrice closed, respecting the rules of the ancient canons of the image of the dead. What can display the eyes of the dead, if he already sees quite differently, aimed at the otherworldly. The appearance of his wife is interesting: her hair is surrounded by an incredible light - it is a halo over her head, and an unknown bird blows over her large and beautiful poppy flower - a symbol of eternal sleep and finding solace. If we look at the background of the painting, we see that the artist depicted the sunset: the sunset of the day, the sunset of life... Isn’t it symbolic?