Dante Gabriel Rossetti, an influential figure in the Pre-Raphaelite movement, was a British painter, poet and founder of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. His renowned unfinished painting “Found” depicts a young farmer discovering his destitute prostitute sweetheart on the streets of London. The painting is one of very few examples that grapples with social realism in Rossetti’s work, who was known for his sensuous depictions of women from mythological and classical literature.
Born in London in 1828, Rossetti studied drawing and painting under Henry Sass and Ford Madox Brown. He drew inspiration from Shakespearean literature as well as the religious works of William Blake. His art was characterized by sensuality and medieval revivalism.
Rossetti’s later poetry showcased his expertise at linking thought and feeling while his sonnet sequence “The House of Life” captured this interlinking perfectly. Along with his incredible poetry skills, he produced ethereal portraits that paid tribute to various mythological characters.
Rossetti passed away in Birchington-on-Sea, Kent in 1882 but continued to be celebrated for his significant contributions to art during the Victorian era.
