© Wightwick Manor
The Eve of St Agnes
Artist: Elizabeth Siddal (1829 - 1862)
Location: Wightwick Manor
Date: circa 1850
Materials: gouache
Dimensions: 16.5 x 12cm
Grant:
Amount Paid: £5,000 (Total: £5,000)
Vendor: Edward Dennis
Review number: 4497 (1997)
Provenance:
Owned by Christina Rossetti; then on her death by descent from Dante Gabriel's brother, William Rossetti.
Description:
St Agnes' Eve, the night before the saint's feast day on 21 January, was traditionally a time when young women might dream successfully of the perfect lover provided they slept naked as did the original martyr saint. Siddal is inspired by Tennyson's version of the legend which describes a nun yearning to meet her heavenly 'bridegroom'.
There are no comments on this artwork
To add comments please login or register.
The Art Fund may edit your comments and not all comments will be published. The Art Fund cannot be help responsible for views expressed by visitors of this website.