Arthur's Tomb Dante Gabriel Rossetti 1 1855 “Launcelot is bending over the marble effigy of King Arthur and gazes intently into the face of Guenevere beseeching a kiss”, which she is refusing (see Surtees, <hi rend="i">A Catalogue Raisonné</hi> , vol. 1, 34).
<artist/> <location/> <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 deals with a central Rossettian subject, the conflict (and relation) between sacred and profane love, and the structures of guilt that arise from it. DGR's work exhibits a continuous exploration of the topic, which is an especially urgent one in all of its many Judaeo-Christian forms. </p> </section> <section type="texthistcomp"> <head>Textual History: Composition</head> <p/> </section> <section type="texthistrev"> <head>Textual History: Revision</head> <p/> </section> <section type="prodhist"> <head>Production History</head> <p>This is the first of the famous series of Arthurian watercolours that DGR executed in the 1850s. Two complete versions of this picture exist: one, <xref doc="a.s73.rap">the original watercolor</xref>, executed in 1855, and a <xref doc="a.s73.r-1.rap">copy</xref> made in 1860. The original is dated on the picture 1854 but from DGR's letter to Madox Brown of 4 September 1855 and his later letter to Allingham, it's clear that DGR was working on the picture in mid-1855 and completed it late in the year (see <bibl> <author>Fredeman</author>, <xref doc="a." link="dead"> <title level="bk"> <hi rend="i">Correspondence</hi> , 55. 45, 55. 58 ).

Reception

Iconographic

Pictorial

Historical

Literary

The picture references events detailed in Book XXI of Malory's <hi rend="i">Morte d'Arthur</hi> (chapter 7, 9, 10), which DGR knew in Robert Southey's edition of 1817, <hi rend="i">The Byrth, Lyf, and Actes of King Arthur</hi> . Since the scene occurs at Almesbury, where Guenevere entered a convent after Arthur's death, and Arthur's tomb is at Glastonbury, DGR has used a certain license in his representation. Given DGR's intention in his picture, however, the license is as impressive as it is understandable. William Morris later poem, “King Arthur's Tomb” , was probably inspired in part by DGR's picture.

Translation

Autobiographical

Bibliographic

Marillier, <hi rend="i"/>DGR: An Illustrated Memorial , 61-62. Surtees, <hi rend="i">A Catalogue Raisonné</hi> , vol. 1, 34-35 (no. 73). <hi rend="i">The Pre–Raphaelites , Tate 1984</hi> , 276-277 Treuherz, Prettijohn, Becker, <hi rend="i">Dante Gabriel Rossetti</hi> , 175.

Watercolor 1855 (Private Collection) Dante Gabriele Rossetti con 107 Illustrazioni Elena Rossetti Angeli 1906 0 Dante Gabriel Rossetti Ernest Radford 1905 0 Dante Gabriel Rossetti, An Illustrated Memorial of His Art and Life H. C. Marillier 1899 0 Arthur's Tomb The last meeting of Launcelot and Guenevere DGR 1855 (dated); 1860 (copied) Dated 1855 copied 1860 watercolour 1 Arthur's Tomb The last meeting of Launcelot and Guenevere DGR 1855 1854 watercolour 6 Arthur's Tomb The last meeting of Launcelot and Guenevere DGR 1855 (circa) pencil 1 Arthur's Tomb (print) The last meeting of Launcelot and Guenevere (print) Frederick Hollyer 1870-1913 (circa) “1854” lower right. Color print on off-white board. 1 Arthur's Tomb [print] DGR 1875-1900 (circa) Charcoal and cream photoprint, mounted on cream board. 1