“The Sibylla Palmifera,” and “Monna Vanna,” were not completed before 1870. The latter represents a Sibyl sitting underneath a stone canopy, which is carved on one side with a cupid’s head wreathed with roses, and on the other with a skull crowned with red poppies. The Sibyl is clad in crimson, her brown hair is parted and falling each side of her face, a green coif spreads from her head over her shoulder and she holds a palm-leaf in her hand. There is a replica of the head of “Sibylla Palmifera.” In the same year (1866) he painted in oils a portrait of his mother, and made a large crayon drawing of his sister Christina. He also made two illustrations for her volume of poems, “The Prince’s Progress.”
In 1867 Rossetti painted in oils “The Christmas Carol,” of which a crayon study exists; “Monna Rosa,” and the “Loving Cup.” For the water-colour, “The Return of Tibullus to Delia,” there are numerous sketches made from Miss Siddal sitting on a couch biting a tress of her hair, which show that the design must have been of a much earlier date. The water-colours, “Aurora,” “Tessa la Bionda;” the crayons, “Magdalene,” “Peace,” “Contemplation,” and the crayon replica, “Venus Verticordia,” bear the same date.
Unfortunately about this time Rossetti began to have serious trouble with his eyesight, and had probably to reduce his hours of work. All the same in 1868 he painted a portrait of Mrs. Morris, who has kindly lent it to the Tate Gallery, where it can now be seen. Several chalk crayon studies have been done for this portrait. Then he began the picture of “The Daydream,” representing Mrs. Morris sitting on the lower branches of a sycamore tree, a replica in water-colour of “Bocca Baciate,” called “Bionda del Balcone”; “The Rose,” a water-colour; a crayon drawing, “Aurea Catena,” some studies for “La Pia,” which was begun about this time, and a water-colour replica of “Venus Verticordia.”
PLATE VII.—DANTE’S DREAM
From the oil painting (7 ft. 1 by 10 ft. 6½) now in the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
This picture which is considered by some to be Rossetti’s most important work, illustrates the following passage in the Vita Nuova:
“Then my heart that was so full of love said unto me: ‘Is it true that our lady lieth dead’; and it seemed to me that I went to look upon the body wherein that blessed and most noble spirit had had its abiding-place. And so strong was this idle imagining, that it made me behold my lady in death, whose head certain ladies seemed to be covering with a white veil.”
This picture, painted in 1871, passed through several hands and was taken back by Rossetti from Mr. Valpy, on account of its large size in exchange for several smaller works. It was eventually bought by the Liverpool corporation.
Rossetti first treated this subject in a little water-colour painted for Miss Heaton in 1856.