Monday, November 9, 2009

Dante Gabriel Rossetti - Regina Cordium - portrait of Ellen Heaton


With its original frame.
It was put up for auction at Christie's in 1981 by the great-grand-daughter of the sitter.
signed with a monogram and dated 'Woodbank Nov. 1861'
10 3/4 x 8 3/4"
It descended through the family.
On the reverse is a letter from Rossetti to Aldam Heaton dated Oct 4 1861. Aldam Heaton and his wife Ellen were friends and patrons of Rossetti and he designed the stained glass windows for their house at Woodbank.

3 comments:

Jo Potter said...

Hi Hermes,
Thanks for your visit...Yes I saw the tank in the Wells Reclamation center. I liked the huge iron horses best of all. They would not fit in my flat either!
Another great portrait by Rossetti. The lady looks a bit serious though!;)

Lucy Corrander said...

So fierce and muscular. It may have been an accurate representation of the sitter but I don't think I'd especially like it on my wall.

Though, having said that - it would catch my attention every time I passed . . . so maybe I would!

Lucy

Hermes said...

I was just struck by the wonderful frame Lucy. I wonder how accurate a portrayal of the sitter it was. I agree a smile would have made a big difference.