Jane Morris
1870
Rossetti was utterly obsessed with Jane Morris, his muse and secret lover, capturing her distinctive heavy-lidded gaze and wild curls in dozens of works. This intimate sketch, dated August 1875 in the bottom corner, shows her looking away with a melancholic intensity that defined the Pre-Raphaelite style. Even late in their tumultuous relationship—she was married to his friend William Morris—he couldn't stop drawing her, turning her into the ultimate symbol of tragic, unattainable beauty. The rough, expressive lines make it feel like a private moment rather than a formal portrait.
- Technique
- Charcoal or graphite drawing
- Material
- Paper
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