Dante Gabriel Rossetti - naiseliku ilu laulik 1.

Üdini itaaliapärase nimega Dante Gabriel Rossetti (12. mai 1828 – 10. aprill 1882) oli tegelikult inglise kunstnik ja kirjanik. Sündinud Londonis Itaaliast sisserännanu perekonnas.

Ühevõrra andekas ja edukas oli ta nii kunstnikuna kui poeedina. Ka tema õde Christina Rossetti oli luuletaja. Võib-olla oma eesnime tõttu, mille oli talle andnud "Jumalikust komöödiast" vaimustunud isa, võib-olla luuletajana, aga võib-olla hoopis mingil muul põhjusel tundis ta tugevat hingelist sidet kuulsa Dantega ja kujutas teda ning temaga seostuvat mitmel oma maalil. Palju lugenud inimesena valis ta oma piltide tegelasi lisaks Dantele ka Shakespeare'i, Coleridge'i, Poe', Goethe jt kirjanike loomingust.

"Dante's Dream at the Time of the Death of Beatrice"
1871, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, Suurbritannia)

Rossetti esimeseks tuntud maaliks kujunes "Mary’s Girlhood" ("Maarja neiupõlv", ka "The Childhood of Mary Virgin" - "Neitsi Maarja lapsepõlv"), mille kohta ta on kirjutanud ka kauni luuletuse, milles selgitab maalil olevaid sümboleid (tuvi, lamp, roos, raamat, värvid jne).

"The Childhood of Mary Virgin"
1848-1849,
Tate Gallery, London

Ja värsid selle maali kohta:

I.
This is that blessed Mary, pre-elect,
    God's Virgin. Gone is a great while, and she
    Dwelt young in Nazareth of Galilee.
Unto God's will she brought devout respect,
Profound simplicity of intellect,
    And supreme patience. From her mother's knee
    Faithful and hopeful; wise in charity;
Strong in grave peace; in pity circumspect.

So held she through her girlhood; as it were
    An angel-watered lily, that near God
        Grows and is quiet. Till, one dawn at home,
She woke in her white bed, and had no fear
    At all, -- yet wept till sunshine, and felt awed;
        Because the fulness of the time was come.

II.
These are the symbols. On that cloth of red
    I' the centre is the Tripoint: perfect each,
    Except the centre of its points,to teach
That Christ is not yet born. The books -- whose head
Is golden Charity, as Paul hath said --
    Those virtues are wherein the soul is rich;
    Therefore on them the lily standeth, which
Is innocence, being interpreted.

The seven-thorn'd brier and palm seven-leaved
    Are here great sorrow and her great reward
        Until the end be full, the Holy One
Abides without. She soon shall have achieved
    Her perfect purity: yea, God the Lord
        Shall soon vouchsafe His Son to be her Son.
/D. G. Rossetti/

Järgneb.