The Lady of Shalott (Moxon Tennyson) 1857

This is Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s wood engraving illustrating Tennyson’s poem, 'The Lady of Shalott'. This black and white print shows a dramatic scene rendered with detailed hatching and cross-hatching to create tone and texture. The Lady lies stricken, her loom looming above, still strung with thread and partially woven fabric. Rossetti was deeply involved in the Arts and Crafts movement and this image clearly reflects that interest. Consider the labor embedded in the weaving. Weaving at that time was usually a communal activity done by women in villages and towns. The labor and craft of the woman is front and center in this image. Here, though, it is tragically arrested. The poem’s tragic theme of artistic isolation and its consequences is mirrored in the artist's attention to materiality, making visible the social and cultural significance of the weaving craft. It reminds us that fine art is often deeply entwined with other creative practices.