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Regina Cordium
1866
59.7 x 49.5 cm
oil on canvas


Regina Cordium, translated as Queen of Hearts, is a portrait of the striking Alice Wilding, a model that Rossetti painted frequently.

The painting is filled with symbolism about love and matters of the heart. Pink roses were popular love symbols. The large jewel at Wilding's neck depicts a flaming heart, and from the branch of the fruit tree in the background hangs a heart-shaped medallion depicting a blindfold Cupid. Love is thus portrayed as indiscriminate, because Cupid can't see whose heart he is piercing.

The woman holds an iris, which, like the lily, denotes purity and is often associated with the Virgin Mary.


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Regina Cordium

Regina Cordium
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
McLellan Gallery, Glasgow


From Your Perspective

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Your Perspective

Maureen Maguire Dublin
Its odd that the American lady doesn't think she is beautiful, she is right about the face, but she (the sitter)has nice colouring so overall its a beautiful painting, the flowers are done very well

Yvonne Noell from Portland, Oregon
There is something wrong in the anatomy of the forehead and crown of the head. Was that just his style of painting, or was the lady like this in reality? It is interesting what people consider beautiful. This painting looks quite beautiful in spite of the wierd placement of facial features.



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