International studio (60.1916/1917)

The True Rossetti

Nazareth and Mary Magdalene illustrated here,
at present on loan at Millbank, may be added to
the permanent collection. These three works with
their exalted sentiment also represent the true
Rossetti. The design, The Passover in the Holy
Family, was commissioned by Ruskin. Two
designs for the
subject were sub¬
mitted to him,
and Rossetti was
instructed to pro¬
ceed with the one
we illustrate. On
the occasion of a
visit to the artist’s
studio Ruskin
carried away the
drawing in an un¬
finished state,
refusing to listen
to Rossetti’s pro¬
tests. He had
seen too many de¬
signs that he had
commissioned
ruined in the end,
in his opinion, by
the artist.
Ruskin prized
The Passover more
than any of his
friend’s works.
He delighted in
its naive realism,
and strongly re¬
sented a reference
to it as a symbolic
work, replying “ I
call that Passover
plain prosy fact.”
It was the only
work by Rossetti
that remained in
his possession to
the end of his life.
His instinctive desire to share with others the
things that had meant most to himself had by then
brought about the dispersal of what was once an
important collection of Rossetti’s early work.
The individual history of Rossetti’s paintings
and drawings is so complete in Marillier’s life of
the painter that it has seemed more essential in
this article to write of the tenor of his work gener-
ally, especially as felt in the little-known early water-

colours, than to draw upon information about the
separate works that is accessible in every public
library.
For convenience I have referred to the acqui-
sitions from the Rae family as the “ Rae ” water-
colours. They were originally executed for
William Morris,
who to obtain
capital for his
business sold them
to Mr. Rae. The
two oil-paintings
Nonna Vann a
and The Beloved,
which, with Fazio’s
Mistress, also
came from the Rae
Collection, belong
to Rossetti’s early
Chelsea period,
being executed
about 1866. It
was of work of
this time that
Ruskin was think-
i n g w h e n he
claimed that
Rossetti’s name
should be placed
first of men who
had raised and
changed the spirit
of modern art.
Soon after this
date Rossetti’s
work ceased to
excite the admi-
ration of Ruskin,
and authoritative
opinion of to-day
has echoed the
judgment of Ros-
setti’s friend.
Until these
recent acquisitions
Rossetti was unfortunately only represented in our
National collections by his later period. The pur-
chases that thus complete the representation of one
of the most original geniuses of the English School
were made possible by the patriotic attitude of the
Rae family, and the support given by the National
Art-Collections Fund on this occasion adds still
further to the debt which the country owes to the
administrators of the Fund.

“MARY OF NAZARETH” WATER-COLOUR BY D. G. ROSSETTI
(National Gallery of British Art.; On Loan)


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