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The Salutation of Beatrice

Alternately titled: Salutatio Beatricis

Dante Gabriel Rossetti

1859

Physical Description

Medium: oil
Technique: oil on two panels
Dimensions: 29 1/2 x 31 1/2 in. each panel
Frame: The two panels were removed from a cabinet in 1865 then framed together; separated by a partition. The partition was then painted with a second Dantis Amor by DGR.
Signature: monogram
Date on Image: June 15-25 1859; 1859
Note: Left panel: monogram and date on lower right. Right panel: monogram and date on lower left.

Production Description

Production Date: 1859
Exhibition History: Hogarth Club, 1860; R.A., 1883 (no.289); Rome, International Exhibition 1911; Nat. Gallery of Canada, Victorian Artists in England , 1965 (no.117).
Intended Context: A Cabinet at Red House, Bexley Heath, the home of William Morris and his wife.
Model: Red Lion Mary
Note: Red Lion Mary sat for the woman on the left in the left panel.
Model: Jane Burden Morris
Note: Jane Burden Morris was the model for the middle woman in the left panel.
Model: Fanny Cornforth
Note: Fanny Cornforth sat for the woman on the right in the left panel.

Provenance

Current Location: National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
Catalog Number: 6750
Archival History: William Morris; Sold to Sir Frederick Burton, 1865; Sold for £367. 10 s. to James Leathart, 1867; T.H. Leathart; Bought by F. J. Tennant for £250; Michael Tennant; Sold to Leger Galleries in 1957 for £500; National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa

Scholarly Commentary

Introduction

Commentary is not yet available for this image.

Bibliography

The Salutation of Beatrice
Copyright: © National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa

Included Text

Inscribed on the left panel above Beatrice's head: ‘Domicella Beatrix de Portinaris’; above the head of Dante: ‘Dantes de Alghieris’. The date ‘9 JUN: 1290’ is written above the central oval and below it reads, ‘ QUOMODO SEDET SOLA CIVITAS!’
Inscribed on the right panel on a scroll in each upper corner are the words ‘Hortus Eden’ and behind Dante's head: ‘Poeta Dantes de Alghieris de Florentia’. Rossetti wrote behind the head of Beatrice: ‘ Beata Beatrix’.
Inscribed on the frame in the upper center are the words ‘ SALUTATIO BEATRICIS ’. In the lower center, Rossetti wrote: ‘ IN TERRA ET IN EDEN. ’. Above the left panel are the words; ‘Questa mirabile Donna apparve a me, vestita di colore bianco, in mezzo di due gentile donne di piu lunga etade ( VITA NUOVA. Cap: II.)’. Below the left panel, he wrote ‘Negli occhi porta la mia Donna amore’. He wrote above the right panel on the frame, ‘Sovra candido vel cinta d'uliva, Donna m'apparve sotto verde manto Vestita di color di fiamma viva. ( DIV. COM:Perg: C.XXX)’. Below this right panel he wrote, ‘Guardami ben: ben son, ben son Beatrice’.

Reproductions

  1. image

    Surtees, A Catalogue Raisonné , vol. 2, plate 172.
  2. Ash, Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

    (image unavailable)
  3. image

    Phythian, Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood , 30.
  4. image

    Phythian, Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood , 31.
  5. image

    Marillier, DGR: An Illustrated Memorial , 86.
  6. image

    Radford, Dante Gabriel Rossetti , 11.
  7. image

    Radford, Dante Gabriel Rossetti , 12.
  8. image

    Gowans and Gray, Masterpieces of DGR , 14.
  9. image

    Gowans and Gray, Masterpieces of DGR , 15.
  10. image

    Hollyer print, Delaware Art Musuem.
  11. image

    Hollyer print, Delaware Art Musuem.
  12. image

    Hollyer print, Delaware Art Musuem.
Electronic Archive Edition: 1
File Name: s116.rap.xml