Commentary
Introduction
The picture title specifically references Part II line 258 of Browning's
<hi rend="i">Pippa
Passes</hi>
. But as the entirety of the composition
shows, DGR is seeking to interpret the whole of Part II of Browning's poem, which treats the
love of the sculptor Jules for Phene. Browning's story centers in Jules's desire to
cast off his former worldly life and begin his artistic pursuits on a new, spiritual footing
based in his Shelleyan love for Phene. Needless to say, this is yet another version of
DGR's preoccupation with the idea that pervades his work, not least of all in his
Italian translations, especially that of Dante's
<hi rend="i">New Life</hi>
,
and in those key early works
“Hand
and Soul”
and
“Old and
New Art”
.
Although the painting's title quotes line 258 and thus seems to reference Pippa's
song at lines 258-261, the composition clearly shows that DGR is thinking of lines 267-270, which
begin “‘Nay, list!’—bade Kate the Queen”. This is clear from
the presence of the young man at the right of the picture who leans on the balcony with a pair of hawks.
This is Browning's “page that carols unseen/Fitting your hawks to their
jesses” (II. 269-270).
Textual History: Composition
Textual History: Revision
Production History
Originally planned in 1849, the picture was “in progress” in September 1850, when
DGR had completed what he called a “sketch”, which is apparently
the small picture
now at Eton College. The projected painting was to have been a very large one—“seven feet
and a half by four feet” he told his aunt Margaret, who was the intended recipient (see
Fredeman,
<hi rend="i">Correspondence</hi>
50. 16
). The picture was subsequently abandoned but before destroying the
canvas DGR cut out the head of the principal figure and repainted it for his
later painting of
<hi rend="i">Fiammetta</hi>
,
according to WMR (see
WMR,
<hi rend="i">Designer and Writer</hi>
,
72
). The small painting called
<hi rend="i">The Two Mothers</hi>
was also
cut out of the original abandoned work, and it seems likely that
<hi rend="i">Rossovestita</hi>
also
derived from the large picture of 1849.
An 1849 drawing in the British Museum seems
to have been a sketch for one of the waiting women in the picture
Historical
The queen referred to was Caterina Cornaro (ca. 1454-1510), who was forced to abdicate as queen of
Cyprus by the authorities of Venice. Established in a castle at Asolo, she gathered around herself
a circle of distinguished artists and men of letters.
Bibliographic
Grieve,
<hi rend="i">Art of DGR: Pre–Raphaelite Period</hi>
, 51-56.
Marillier,
<hi rend="i">DGR: An Illustrated Memorial</hi>
, 34
Sharp,
<hi rend="i">Dante Gabriel Rossetti</hi>
, 145-147
Surtees,
<hi rend="i">A Catalogue Raisonné</hi>
vol. 1, 16-17.