Thursday, March 18, 2010

Dante Gabriel Rossetti - Genius in Beauty



[La Donna della Frammia (1870) - Jane Morris]



Beauty like hers is genius. Not the call
Of Homer's or of Dante's heart sublime, --
Not Michael's hand furrowing the zones of time, --
Is more with compassed mysteries musical;
Nay, not in Spring's Summer's sweet footfall
More gathered gifts exuberant Life bequeaths
Than doth this sovereign face, whose love-spell breathes
Even from its shadowed contour on the wall.

As many men are poets in their youth,
But for one sweet-strung soul the wires prolong
Even through all change the indomitable song;
So in likewise the envenomed years, whose tooth
Rends shallower grace with ruin void of truth,
Upon this beauty's power shall wreak no wrong.

'Nell Gwynne' (Effie Gray James (née Millais))




by Rupert Potter
albumen print, 7 June 1882
http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait.php?search=ss&firstRun=true&sText=millais&LinkID=mp89637&rNo=0&role=sit

Karen Gillan


The new Doctor Who assistant. Where is Rossetti when you need him!


http://www.karengillan.net/

William Burges






[Burges' design for the Summer Smoking Room at Cardiff Castle]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Burges_(architect)

http://www.achome.co.uk/williamburges/index.php?page=home