Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882

Scope and Contents: Rossetti tells Heaton that her Dante's dream was taken by Ruskin on the day prior to his father's death, in order for Ruskin to photograph it. He assures her that nothing has been altered in the piece. Rossetti says that he will be glad to see her when she is in London and expresses his approval of Ruskin possibly lecturing in Bradford. Rossetti still has Heaton's Bethlehem Gate and supposes that she will collect it when in London. He...

Scope and Contents: Rossetti is having his mother and sister for dinner the following day and hopes Heaton will attend. Rossetti has been so busy that he has not made any changes to Bethlehem Gate but says that if it is not retouched by dinner, it will be by Monday (the 16th). Rossetti expresses his annoyance about the photograph (presumably the one of Dante's dream to be taken by Ruskin). Rossetti tells Heaton that his pencil drawing for her will be framed...

Scope and Contents: Rossetti tells Heaton he does not believe that Dante's dream would have been damaged in transportation and says that the delay in sending it was a result of the necessity of copying it and the difficulties in mounting it. Rossetti has begun copying the pencil drawing in red chalk which he thinks will be an improvement. He believes the piece and Bethlehem Gate will leave for Leeds on Thursday (the 19th). He tells Heaton that she can visit...

Scope and Contents: Rossetti asks Heaton to visit him on Friday at 4 pm or after, or on Saturday at 12 noon or 1 pm to see her Sir Galahad drawing. He reasserts the price of the piece as 100 guineas and asks Heaton if he could have £55 when she visits as he is "obliged to go out of town on Saturday for a day of two, to avoid a summons on the Grand Jury (!)" Rossetti says his Joan of Arc is nearly complete and hopes that Heaton will enjoy the ...

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"I think it would have been as well if I had not mentioned particulars respecting the 2 commissions I was speaking of last night, or the names of the givers thereof, so will you kindly consider it for your private ear. You may, I think, probably meet the Aldam Heatons here on Saturday morning though I am not sure; and this chiefly cause me to write as I remember Mr. H. mentioning to me that I might as well keep my counsel on the point."

Scope and Contents: Rossetti is concerned that Heaton believes her commissioned drawing to be small in relation to its price. Rossetti tells her that Mr. Dunlop recently paid 100 guineas each for two of his drawings, a price paid by others to Mr. Gambart (a dealer) for similar ones. Rossetti cites another instance in which a drawing smaller than the Sir Galahad had fetched 120 guineas and says that 100 guineas has become his standard rate for private commissions. He suggests that if...

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"The Sir Galahad will be finished tomorrow. What do you like me to do with it. Would it suit you to come to see it Saturday at 12 or 1?"

Scope and Contents: Rossetti hopes it will be possible to set Heaton's mind at rest about "the lily" but he is not sure he will be able to. Rossetti asks Heaton if she would prefer a drawing "of "the small figure kind to the Joan of Arc," which he would be happy to substitute for it, provided Heaton lets him know if she would like one as soon as possible. The price of the drawing would be 100 guineas. Rossetti tells Heaton that his mother is sitting for him...

Scope and Contents: Rossetti tells Heaton that he will be sending the Joan of Arc by the end of the week. Rossetti hopes Heaton will like it "as everyone says it is one of my best things. I myself (entre nous) consider it superior in expression and colour to the oil picture." Rossetti has told Mr. Rose that Heaton would show him her pictures if she visited her. Rossetti tells Heaton that he is going to Paris on the advice of his doctor and asks if he can "fetch, carry...

Scope and Contents: Rossetti admits that the Joan of Arc is taking longer than expected but he promises to send it the next Tuesday or Wednesday. Rossetti asks if, upon receipt of the letter, she sends the £105 the work costs and specifies that the best way to send the money would be by two Bank of England notes (for £100 and £5) by registered letter. Rossetti thinks that Heaton will like the Joan of Arc which "pleases [Rossetti] rather beyond...

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Rossetti hopes that Heaton has received the autographs and photographs he gave to Christina Rossetti to pass on to Heaton. He tells Heaton that Lady Ashburton was delighted with the Joan of Arc and Sir Galahad and was disappointed she could not have them. Rossetti says that he fears that he would "seem shabby" if he asks Heaton to purchase the work's frame and so he has ordered a suitable frame to include with the work.

Scope and Contents: Rossetti will send Heaton's Sir Galahad today. He asks Heaton not to tell anyone the price of the Joan of Arc as "it would have been considerably higher had it been sold when finished instead of by commission.". Rossetti states that the letter Heaton mentioned in a previous letter is a Whistler and the one signed "Ned" is a Jones and mentions that he had asked Christina Rossetti to describe them to Heaton. He ends:...

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"Your letter has been sent on to me here. I expect to be back in another week or so. I am much pleased that the Joan of Arc pleases you. There is no alteration whatsoever in the Sir Galahad. The Joan was painted from a female model, and looks like nothing in the world but a female."

Scope and Contents: Rossetti explains that he has been in Paris for the past ten days and so only just received Heaton's latest letter. Rossetti has heard from Ruskin that Heaton would prefer keeping the drawing from the Purgatorio of Rachel and Leah, or Matilda and Beatrice. Rossetti remarks that he has given Matilda and Beatrice the actions of Rachel and Leah and describes the two figures as "of an entirely Oriental character, as the real Rachel and...

Scope and Contents: Rossetti apologizes to Heaton for asking her to send her most recent payment to him by P.O. order rather than check at a time when she is unwell and tells her not to organize the order until she is better. Rossetti remarks that "everyone seems to have had these attacks lately" and that "we may see that they need care to be taken at once, as one has heard lately of so many bad cases beginning with colds of this kind." Rossetti says that he will send Heaton the ...

Scope and Contents: Rossetti tells Heaton that it is "against [his] interests" to exhibit his work at present, unless it is work "of great importance." "I hold a fortunate position at present in possessing a market unassailable by incompetence, ill-will, or to put it in its mildest and frequently true form, by mere diversity of taste. You will greatly oblige me therefore by declining to send anything of mine; and indeed I have lately made the stipulation, when parting with works, that...

Scope and Contents: Rossetti acknowledges Heaton's hesitance to lend him Dante's dream in their previous correspondence (see letter dated 9 January 1868) because she wanted to show it to visitors at the Leeds Exhibition. As the exhibition is now finished, Rossetti asks if she will now loan him the work. Rossetti says he would have needed it before now but he recently had to suspend all his work due to the "troublesome state of [his] eyesight". Now that he is working again,...

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These fragments are examples of Rossetti's letter closings. They read: "Believe me, dear Miss Heaton, Yours ever truly, D. G. Rossetti"; "Very truly yours, D. G. Rossetti"; and "Yours sincerely, D. G. Rossetti."

Scope and Contents: "My dear Mrs. ClabburnToday I am sending in the "Mary Magdalene" by passenger train, so I hope it will not be long on the road. I may as well describe it a little, to help out my idea, though indeed I believe you would find it plain enough. The scene represents 2 houses opposite each other, one of which is that of Simon the Pharisee where Christ and Simon, with other guests, are seated at table. At the opposite house a great banquet is held, and feasters are trooping...

Scope and Contents: "My Dear Mr. Clabburn,I think I ought hardly to preclude myself from making, if I wish, a small copy of the Magdalene picture after the large one is finished. The commission for the large picture was taken some years ago, and at a price greatly below what I should now ask, and I ought therefore to reserve as far as possible the power of making further earnings in connection with it. Nevertheless it is very possible, that I might never have the...