Artwork
Francesca da Rimini
Francesca da Rimini is an oil painting by the British Romanticist artist William Dyce. It dates from 1837 and is held in the collection of the National Galleries Scotland.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
William Dyce's 1837 painting illustrates the tragic lovers Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta, capturing the moment of their illicit kiss.
William Dyce's 1837 painting illustrates the tragic lovers Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta, capturing the moment of their illicit kiss. The composition features the couple in a close embrace, surrounded by symbolic objects that define their narrative: a book, which served as the catalyst for their passion, and a lute, suggesting the romantic atmosphere of the scene. A depiction of the Moon appears in the background, contributing to the nocturnal and clandestine setting of the encounter.
These visual elements collectively represent the literary episode from Dante's Inferno, focusing on the fatal convergence of love and reading that led to the characters' damnation.
Technique & Style
Francesca da Rimini is an oil painting on canvas executed by William Dyce in 1837. The work is held by the Scottish National Gallery under accession number NG 460, having been purchased by the Royal Scottish Academy in 1864 and later transferred to the National Gallery of Scotland in 1910.
The composition depicts the doomed lovers Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta in a close embrace, accompanied by attributes drawn from their story: a lute, a book, and a hand, all set under a moonlit sky. The painting has been exhibited in the thematic show The Moon: From real travel to imaginary journeys.
Two measurements for the canvas are recorded across sources: 142 × 176 cm and 183 × 219 cm, both given in centimetres.
History & Provenance
William Dyce completed the oil painting Francesca da Rimini in 1837. The work entered its known ownership chain in 1864 when it was purchased by the Royal Scottish Academy. It was subsequently transferred to the National Gallery of Scotland and formally presented to that institution in 1910, where it remains part of the collection today.
William Dyce's painting Francesca da Rimini is held in the collection of National Galleries Scotland and displayed at the Scottish National Gallery. The work carries the accession number NG 460. Its acquisition history began when the Royal Scottish Academy purchased the piece in 1864; it was subsequently transferred to the National Gallery of Scotland and formally presented to the institution in 1910.
The painting has been featured in the exhibition The Moon: From real travel to imaginary journeys. While one record lists dimensions of 142 by 176 cm, the holding institution's catalog specifies measurements of 183 by 219 cm.
Context
William Dyce painted this 1837 oil on canvas, depicting the tragic lovers Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta under a symbolic moon, a composition documented in The Moon: From real travel to imaginary journeys exhibition. The work measures 142 cm in height and 176 cm in width and resides in the National Galleries Scotland's collection. Its provenance includes purchase by the Royal Scottish Academy in 1864 and transfer to the National Gallery of Scotland in 1910. Contemporary critical reception highlighted its romantic narrative and technical execution within Victorian academic painting.
Overview
William Dyce’s 1837 oil painting Francesca da Rimini portrays the ill‑fated lovers from Dante’s Inferno in a quiet, moonlit setting. The work belongs to the British Romantic tradition and is part of the Scottish National Gallery’s collection.
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Artist & collection
Artist
William Dyce (; 19 September 1806 in Aberdeen – 14 February 1864) was a Scottish painter, who played a part in the formation of public art education in the United Kingdom, and the South Kensington Schools system.
- Een van zin
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