Portrait of Eliza Polidori 1858

Curator: Rossetti rendered this delicate portrait of Eliza Polidori in pencil, sometime around 1858. There's a quiet intensity to it. Editor: I notice the sharp, almost severe angle of her profile. It suggests a certain reserve, perhaps even constraint, which might reflect the limited roles available to women of that era. Curator: Indeed. The head covering further emphasizes a sense of modesty and confinement, typical for women’s portrayal at the time. Rossetti was known to both idealize women and cast them in somewhat of a performative light. Editor: Looking at the details, her eyes hold a depth that hints at a life lived beyond societal expectations. It's as if she's silently challenging the very constraints you mentioned. Curator: A beautiful tension, then, between representation and lived experience. Editor: Precisely. A glimpse into a complex individual navigating a restrictive world.