Buy from us with a golden curl, for "The Goblin Market"

Buy from us with a golden curl, for "The Goblin Market" by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, created between 1861 and 1862, is a detailed illustration rendered in pen and black and dark brown ink. This drawing was executed to accompany the seminal poem The Goblin Market by Rossetti’s sister, Christina Rossetti, translating the literary themes of temptation and sisterly sacrifice into a striking visual narrative that embodies the spiritual concerns of the Victorian era. Rossetti, a founding member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, utilized the complex medium of ink to build texture and shadow, enhancing the fantastical and often unsettling quality of the source material.

The composition depicts the moment of temptation where the protagonist, Laura, interacts with the goblin merchants. The scene is densely packed, showcasing the allure and danger of the market through the vivid depiction of exotic fruit and the grotesque nature of the vendors. Rossetti personified the goblins not as men, but as menacing, animalistic hybrids. The chaotic arrangement integrates specific creatures referenced in the poem and tags, including small Bears, watchful Owls, and lurking Cats, which further emphasize the wild, predatory atmosphere surrounding the vulnerable Women.

As a critical example of Pre-Raphaelite book illustration, the classification of this piece as a drawing allows viewers to appreciate Rossetti’s linear skill and his detailed command of hatching and contour using the varied tones of black and dark brown ink. This key work is permanently housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Due to its historical importance and the widespread influence of the poem it illustrates, high-resolution images of this piece are frequently studied, and detailed prints of this influential drawing are often available through public domain archives.