Buy from Us with a Golden Curl (frontispiece to "Goblin Market and other Poems" by Christina Rossetti)

Buy from Us with a Golden Curl (frontispiece to "Goblin Market and other Poems" by Christina Rossetti) is a significant wood engraving created by Dante Gabriel Rossetti in 1862. This piece served as the frontispiece for the first edition of his sister Christina Rossetti’s highly acclaimed collection of poetry, Goblin Market and other Poems. The artwork visualizes a critical moment from the narrative, focusing on the character Laura, who is tempted by the lure of forbidden fruit offered by the Goblin Merchants.

Executed as a meticulously detailed wood engraving, this print required the collaboration of professional engravers to translate Rossetti’s precise drawing into a reproducible block. The composition centers on the figures of two Women, the sisters Laura and Lizzie, juxtaposed against the menacing presence of the hybrid, animalistic Goblins. These creatures surround the sisters, clutching baskets overflowing with tempting, poisonous produce. Rossetti masterfully utilized the stark black-and-white contrasts inherent in the medium to emphasize the moral tension and sense of danger that pervades the scene. The careful handling of drapery and facial expressions connects this illustration directly to the core tenets of the Pre-Raphaelite aesthetic, prioritizing symbolic clarity and intense detail even in small-scale works.

This highly influential print stands as a key example of the synergy between Victorian literature and graphic illustration. As a book illustration, its classification as a print emphasizes its role in disseminating the poem's imagery to a mass public. The work clearly demonstrates Rossetti's considerable skill in graphic arts, moving beyond his renowned output in painting and drawing. A prominent example of this seminal print resides within the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, providing historical context for 19th-century illustrative practices. Because of its age and cultural importance, high-quality reproductions of this work are often available in the public domain.