Beata Beatrix by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (Interpretation and Analysis)

Beata Beatrix
Source: Tate Gallery

In my opinion, the art of the pre-Raphaelite movement is among the most objectively beautiful to ever be produced.

The pre-Raphaelite movement was inspired by a desire to create serious and realistic art that was also pleasing to the eye. Pre-Raphaelite painters were not interested in “trivial” scenes of everyday life. Instead, they believed art should portray “serious” subjects, such as literature, poetry, mythology, and history.

One such example of this inspiration is Beata Beatrix, one of Dante Rossetti’s masterpieces. Rossetti is often regarded as one of the greatest luminaries of the pre-Raphaelite movement, and he was particularly interested in the poetry of his namesake, Dante Alighieri. He even completed his own English translations of Dante’s poetry.

In Beata Beatrix, Rossetti pays homage to Dante’s muse, Beatrice Portinari. Although he only met Beatrice twice in reality, Dante loved her devotedly and treated her as the ideal personification of love and beauty. Rossetti was obviously inspired by Dante’s deep emotion, and he returned to the subject of Beatrice many times throughout his career. He always used the same model for these paintings: his wife Elizabeth Siddall.

Rossetti and Siddall had a brief and dramatic marriage. Their relationship was intense and all-consuming. During their time together, Rossetti came to see Siddall as his muse, and he idealized her in his art, presenting her as the perfect vessel of love and virtue.

Beata Beatrix was painted after Siddall’s death, a memorial to her passing. Siddall died at the age of thirty-two, and Dante’s Beatrice also died young at the age of twenty-four. Beata Beatrix is a testament of Siddall’s short and tragic life. According to my research, the dove in Beatrice’s hands is the harbinger of death, symbolized by the white poppy in its beak. In the background, there are two figures, symbolizing love and Dante Alighieri respectively.

While it is a sad, somewhat gloomy piece, it is also a beautiful portrait of a vibrant young woman. I prefer to think of this painting as a physical representation of the idea of love, a celebration of the depths of human emotion.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.