Beata Beatrix
1871–72
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
87.5 × 69.3 cm (34 7/16 × 27 1/4 in.); Predella: 26.5 × 69.2 cm (10 7/16 × 27 1/4 in.); Framed: 156.2 × 102.9 cm (61 1/2 × 40 1/2 in.)
Classification
painting
Department
Painting and Sculpture of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
16551
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Both a poet and a painter, Dante Gabriel Rossetti was a founder of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a circle of Victorian artists united in their appreciation of medieval aesthetics and the “primitive” style of pre-Renaissance art. Rossetti found inspiration forBeata Beatrix in La vita nuova (The New Life), written by his namesake, the Italian poet Dante Alighieri, in 1295. Rossetti’s scene draws a parallel between Dante’s love for the late Beatrice and his own aff ection for his recently decease...
Art Historical Context
Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s *Beata Beatrix* (1871–72) stands as a poignant example of Pre-Raphaelite painting, blending literary inspiration with deeply personal emotion. Created in oil on canvas with an attached predella panel, the work measures just under three feet in height yet conveys an intimate, almost visionary intensity. Rossetti, a founding member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, drew upon Dante Alighieri’s *Vita Nuova*, portraying the poet’s beloved Beatrice at the moment of her spiritual transcendence. The painting’s rich, symbolic palette and meticulous detail reflect the Pre-Raphaelite commitment to reviving medieval aesthetics while exploring themes of love, beauty, and mortality. The predella below extends the narrative, inviting viewers to contemplate the passage between earthly and divine realms. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago’s collection of European paintings, this work continues to captivate audiences with its fusion of personal remembrance and timeless poetic imagery.
About the Artist
Dante Gabriel Rossetti · 1828–1882
British artist. Comment on works: Allegory