Artwork
Fazio's Mistress
Fazio's Mistress is an oil painting by the Pre-Raphaelite artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti. It dates from 1863 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1863, Fazio’s Mistress is a work by Dante Gabriel Rossetti that combines painting with a mahogany wood support. The piece belongs to the Tate Britain’s collection and exemplifies the visual concerns of the Pre‑Raphaelites, the group Rossetti helped establish in the mid‑nineteenth century.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a young woman with long, curly red hair, seated before a mirror. She lifts her hands to her hair, suggesting a moment of personal grooming. Her gaze is turned slightly left, and her calm expression conveys a quiet intimacy, resonating with the Pre‑Raphaelites’ interest in medieval romance and sensuality.
Technique & Style
Rossetti applied oil paint directly onto a polished mahogany panel, achieving a luminous surface that enhances the rich coloration. The work displays the Pre‑Raphaelites’ hallmark attention to fine detail, from the delicate rendering of the hair to the subtle play of light on the dark, gold‑tinged background, creating a sense of depth and material richness.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the painting entered the British art market and eventually was acquired by the national collection, now displayed at Tate Britain. Its provenance reflects the 19th‑century appreciation for Rossetti’s blend of poetic narrative and visual precision.
Context
Rossetti’s career straddled both poetry and visual art, and Fazio’s Mistress illustrates his fascination with medieval motifs and sensual subjects. Executed during the height of the Pre‑Raphaelite movement, the work aligns with the group’s reaction against the academic conventions of the Royal Academy, favoring vivid colour and meticulous observation.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gabriel Charles Dante Rossetti (12 May 1828 – 9 April 1882), generally known as Dante Gabriel Rossetti ( rə-ZET-ee; Italian: ), was an English poet, illustrator, painter and translator.
