Jane Morris: Study for "Mariana"

Jane Morris: Study for "Mariana" is a highly detailed drawing created by Dante Gabriel Rossetti in 1868. This ambitious work is executed primarily in red, brown, off-white, and black chalk on tan paper. Notably, the drawing is composed of four separate sheets butt-joined together, a technical detail that hints at the scale and complexity Rossetti sought to achieve in this preparatory sketch. The piece features Rossetti’s primary muse, Jane Morris, captured in a formal seated pose characteristic of the artist's mature portrait style.

The study served as a preliminary step for a potential oil painting based on the titular character, drawn from Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure. This work is a superb example of Rossetti’s approach to idealizing Victorian women through medievalizing aesthetics, integrating classical formality with the distinctive visual language of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Rossetti utilized the varying chalk colors masterfully to create depth and texture, emphasizing the voluminous drapery and the intense, melancholic expression that defined his best portraits of Morris. The dramatic concentration of color on the face and hands contrasts with the raw, untoned paper visible in the background, drawing immediate attention to the psychological depth of the subject.

This drawing demonstrates Rossetti’s sophisticated draftsmanship and his distinctive use of the challenging multi-colored chalk technique, a style he frequently employed in the late 1860s. As a significant visual document relating to Shakespearean themes popular in the era, the work is part of the extensive collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. High-quality prints of this important study are now widely available, ensuring that this masterful portrait remains accessible through public domain archives.