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Dantis Amor

Dante Gabriel Rossetti

1865-66 (circa)

Physical Description

Medium: pen and brown ink
Dimensions: 12 5/8 x 5 in.

Production Description

Production Date: 1865-66 (circa)
Exhibition History: Tate 1923 (no.161)

Provenance

Current Location: Birmingham City Museum and Art Gallery
Catalog Number: 1904 P 386
Archival History: James Leathart; Fanny Cornforth; Fairfax Murray; Birmingham City Museum and Art Gallery

Scholarly Commentary

Introduction

This is the preparatory drawing for the second version of the picture, i.e., for the image on the partition between the two panels of The Salutation of Beatrice . Here the figure of Love stands within an oval partly formed with his own wings. He holds a sundial in his left hand and a downturned torch in his right.

Literary

The text inscribed below is from the Vita Nuova chapter XXX. The date inscribed above is the date of Beatrice's death (see Vita Nuova chapter XXIX).

Bibliography

Included Text

IX Jun. MCCXC
Quomodo sedet sola civitas.
Note: The first inscripton is at the top of the mandorla, the second below.

Reproductions

  1. image

    Marillier, DGR: An Illustrated Memorial , x.
  2. image

    Surtees, A Catalogue Raisonné , vol. 2, plate 180.
Electronic Archive Edition: 1
File Name: s117b.rap.xml