Monna Vanna

Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828–1882)

1866

Oil on canvas

889 x 864 mm

The Tate Gallery, London

This portrait of Alexa Wilding was originally entitled ‘Venus Veneta’ in acknowledgment of its status as a version of Venetian painting. Modelled on the lush imagery of Titian and Veronese, it reproduces the Old Masters’ emphasis on saturated colour and lush effects created by scumbling. [Commentary continues below.]

Image acquisition and formatting by Simon Cooke. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]

© Tate, London. Image reproduced under the terms of Creative Commons.

Rossetti quickly retitled the work ‘Donna Vanna’, or ‘Vain Woman’. This new title may be connected with an encounter in Dante’s La Vita Nuova, and it certainly plays on the idea of female vanity and self-conscious display. Once again, Rossetti explores notions of femininity and the power of the male gaze.

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Created 29 October 2021