A Vision of Fiammetta is an oil painting created by Dante Gabriel Rossetti in the Pre-Raphaelite style. Maria Spartali Stillman posed as the model for the single figure depicted in the painting. The artwork is part of a series of “double works” that accompanied Rossetti’s Ballads and Sonnets.
The painting showcases a soft translation of Fiammetta’s facial contours, which enhances her delicate features. The frame surrounding the artwork includes Boccaccio’s sonnet “On his last sight of Fiammetta,” which inspired Rossetti to create this masterpiece. In keeping with Medieval and Italian Renaissance art traditions, Rossetti painted lilies alongside depictions of the Virgin Mary to symbolize purity.
Dante Gabriel Rossetti was an influential English poet, painter, translator, and illustrator who founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in 1848. This group rejected classical influences on art and instead drew inspiration from medieval aesthetics and literature, emphasizing literary themes and social commentary in their paintings.
Overall, A Vision of Fiammetta is a stunning example of Pre-Raphaelite-style art, showcasing both technical skill and emotional depth. As one views this piece by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, it transports them back into a period where fine arts were perceived differently and romanticized love was encouraged to play out through visual narratives like this one showcased so beautifully through A Vision Of Fiammetta artwork depicting pure love with fine aesthetics.
