The artwork “Dante Gabriel Rossetti with his sisters Christina and Maria and their mother Frances” is a photographic work dated 1863, attributed to the artist Lewis Carroll. This work adheres to the Pictorialism movement, a genre that emphasizes beauty, tonality, and composition akin to the aesthetics of paintings. As a genre within photography, this piece captures a candid yet intimate family moment.
In the artwork, we observe a seated group of individuals engaged in leisurely activities. On the right, a gentleman and a lady are situated across from each other at a small table, deeply engrossed in a game of chess. The lady, assumed to be the mother, is wrapped in a shawl, with her attention fixed on the chessboard, contemplating her next move. The gentleman, likely Dante Gabriel Rossetti himself, is caught mid-gesture, his hand hovering over the chess pieces as if in the midst of strategic thought.
To the left of the scene are two other women, possibly the sisters Christina and Maria. They are clothed in attire of the period, which features full skirts and fitted bodices. The woman standing holds what appears to be a pair of walking sticks or canes, her posture relaxed yet attentive as she observes the game. Seated beside her is the other sister, her hands placed demurely in her lap, her gaze also directed towards the focal point of the family’s interaction.
The backdrop of the photograph reveals an outdoor setting, providing a natural, somewhat overgrown garden ambiance. Leaves drape from above, creating a pattern of light and shade that contributes to the overall mood of the composition. A staircase ascending to an obscured destination proposes an element of mystery, and the chiaroscuro effect rendered by the dappled sunlight enhances the overall pictorial quality typical of the movement to which this work belongs.
