The Blue Bower Dante Gabriel Rossetti 1 ©Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham The Blue Bower DGR 1865 R.A. 1883 (no.303); Manchester Royal Jubilee Exhibition 1887 (no.707); Wembley British Empire Exhibition 1924 (w.23); Newcastle 1971 (n.60); Tate 1984 (n.132) £120 The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham Gambart, £120; Agnew, £500; (?Samuel) Mendl. J. Dyson Perrins; Sotheby's sale April 22, 1959 (lot 109), £1900; The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham oil 35 1/2 x 27 1/4 in. monogram 1865 The monogram and date are inscribed at lower right. Surtees, A Catalogue Raisonné , vol. 2, plate 259. Fanny Cornforth <artist/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnpictorial> <citnmythic> <name/> <culture/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnmythic> <citnhistorical> <event/> <place/> <date/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnhistorical> <citnautobiographical> <name/> <place/> <date/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnautobiographical> <citnscenic> <place/> <date/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnscenic> </listcitn> </source> <commentaries> <head>Commentary</head> <section type="intro"> <head>Introduction</head> <p>The picture is an aesthetic work, as emphasized by the background tiles (inspired by the blue and white china DGR loved and collected). Also notable is the fantasy recreation of a Japanese koto as the musical instrument. The painting is an excellent example of DGR's determination to make an artistic marriage of western Venetian ideas and motifs with eastern decorative art work, including Japanese ukiyo-e colored prints.</p> </section> <section type="prodhist"> <head>Production History</head> <p/> </section> <section type="recepthist"> <head>Reception</head> <p/> </section> <section type="icon"> <head>Iconographic</head> <p/> </section> <section type="pictorial"> <head>Pictorial</head> <p/> </section> <section type="historical"> <head>Historical</head> <p/> </section> <section type="literary"> <head>Literary</head> <p/> </section> <section type="autobio"> <head>Autobiographical</head> <p/> </section> <section type="biblio"> <head>Bibliographic</head> <p> <bibl> <author>Benedetti</author>, <xref doc="a.nc242.r646.rad" from="252" to="" workcode="9-1879.s162" link="dead"> <title level="bk"> <hi rend="i">Dante Gabriel Rossetti</hi> , 252. Surtees, <hi rend="i">A Catalogue Raisonné</hi> , vol. 1, 102 (no. 178). Surtees, <hi rend="i">A Catalogue Raisonné</hi> , vol. 2, plate 259.