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19 century collection

Introduction
'The Death of Nelson'
'Linlithgow Palace'
'The Ruins of Holyrood Chapel'
'The Black Boy'
'Millie Smith'
'Isabella'
'Self-Portrait'
Study of Emma and Catherine for 'Pretty Baa Lambs'
'Napoleon crossing the Alps'
'Waiting'
'The Tinted Venus'
'The Stonebreaker'
'John and Georgina Naylor'
A study of 'Arthur Madox Brown'
A study of 'Arthur Madox Brown, age nine months'
A study of 'Catherine Madox Brown'
A study of 'Lucy Madox Brown'
A study of 'Oliver Madox Brown'
'A Coat of Many Colours'
'The Hunted Slaves'
'Faithful unto death'
'The Murder'
'Elaine'
'Dante's Dream'
'Bust of Henry Wordsworth Longfellow'
'Leonora di Mantua'
'Portrait of Mrs Catherine Smith Gill'
'Elijah in the Wilderness'
'Athlete struggling with a python'
'And when did you last see your father?'
'One of the Family'
'A Street in Brittany'
'Friday'
'Dante and Beatrice'
'The Mower'
'Fantine'
'Samson'
'A summer night'
'The Promise'
'The funeral of Shelley'
'Woman ironing'
'Break-up of the ice on the Seine'
'Perseus and Andromeda'
'The punishment of lust'
'The sense of sight'
'Ophelia'
'The Fairy Tale'
'Old Man's Treasure'
'The Eve of St Agnes'
'Deal'
'Puck'

'Dante's Dream', Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1871

An angel kisses a dead woman who is lying on an elaborate bed. Surrounding them is a man and two women who are looking sadened at the scene taking place.

Oil on canvas, 216 x 312.4cm

Accession Number WAG3091

Rossetti had a life-long interest in the Italian poet Dante. This painting shows an episode from the 'Vita Nuova'. In it Dante dreams that he is led by Love to the death-bed of Beatrice Portinari, the object of his unrequited passion.

This is Rossetti's largest ever painting. In it he creates a visionary world through soft, rich colours and complex symbols. The attendants wear green for hope, while the spring blossoms signify purity. The red doves indicate the presence of love and the poppies symbolise the sleep of dreams and death.

The model for Beatrice was Jane Morris, with whom Rossetti had a long-term affair.