1879
chalk
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Desdemona's Death-Song is a 1879 chalk by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a woman kneeling on a bed, holding a small mirror. Another figure stands behind her, draped in flowing robes, with one arm around her shoulders. The room is dim, with a faint glow from a window and a small table holding books or papers. The lines are loose and expressive, almost like a quick sketch. The artist used soft black chalk on blue-green paper, which makes the dark lines stand out against the light background. The scene feels intimate and emotional, with the woman’s pose suggesting she’s lost in thought or sadness. Look up Rossetti, Dante Gabriel next to see how he used similar sketches in his work.
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.
See the richer artist page
