The latin couplet translates: âFamous for her husband, a poet, and most famous for her face; so let this picture of mine add to her fameâ. WMR's note in his 1911 edition identifies the picture as âthe one which hangs in the Tate Gallery at Millbankâ. But the sentenceâor rather, a slightly variant version of itâis written across the top of the oil portrait now at Kelmscott Manor. WMR's remark was correct in 1911, however. WMR notes further that while âRossetti
knew Latin up to a certain point. . .I am not wholly sure that he
could have indited this couplet. Possibly he obtained the assistance of Mr. Swinburne.â
The sentence inevitably recalls the concluding couplet of DGR's âHouse of Life sonnet âThe Portraitâ.
The text on the painting reads âvultuâ for âformaâ.
This collection contains 1 text or image, including:
1911
Scholarly Commentary
IntroductionÂ
The latin couplet translates: âFamous for her husband, a poet, and most famous for her face; so let this picture of mine add to her fameâ. WMR's note in his 1911 edition identifies the picture as âthe one which hangs in the Tate Gallery at Millbankâ. But the sentenceâor rather, a slightly variant version of itâis written across the top of the oil portrait now at Kelmscott Manor. WMR's remark was correct in 1911, however. WMR notes further that while âRossetti knew Latin up to a certain point. . .I am not wholly sure that he could have indited this couplet. Possibly he obtained the assistance of Mr. Swinburne.â
The sentence inevitably recalls the concluding couplet of DGR's âHouse of Life sonnet âThe Portraitâ.
The text on the painting reads âvultuâ for âformaâ.
Textual History: CompositionÂ
WMR must have found the text in one of DGR's notebooks. However, the manuscript is not now known.
Printing HistoryÂ
First published by WMR in his edition of 1911.