The Girlhood of Mary Virgin is a revered oil painting created by Dante Gabriel Rossetti in 1848-49, which was regarded as the first significant painting produced by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. The painting portrays Mary as a young girl, working on embroidery with Saint Anne, her mother, while Saint Joachim, her father, prunes a vine. Alongside symbolizing the Holy Spirit via dove representation in The Girlhood of Mary Virgin painting that marks its peculiarity.
Rossetti received guidance from his Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood peers William Holman Hunt and Ford Madox Brown in creating the remarkable artwork. During its exhibition time in London, The Girlhood of Mary Virgin held initials “PRB” to indicate it was an original work produced by Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood members.
The Girlhood of Mary Virgin was bequeathed to Tate Britain Museum by Agnes Jekyll in 1937 from where it’s exhibited for visitors worldwide. Dante Gabriel Rossetti was more than just a painter; he served as a poet and illustrator and founded the iconic Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood movement alongside other visionary artists.
