Pandora

Executed in 1871, Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s "Pandora" represents a major aesthetic shift within the Pre-Raphaelite movement, marking the transition toward a darker, more carnal symbolism. Rossetti uses Jane Morris, his muse and forbidden lover, to embody the mythological figure of Pandora. The historical context is that of a Victorian England in flux, where Rossetti, haunted by the death of his wife Elizabeth Siddal, projected his anxieties and desires onto mythical figures. The technique favors a rich, almost tactile texture, where superimposed layers of paint create a vibrant depth. The mythological context deals with the creation of the first woman by Hephaestus by order of Zeus. Pandora is sent to Earth equipped with a box containing all the evils of humanity. Rossetti chooses to represent the crucial moment of its opening, not as an act of simple curiosity, but as a psychological fatality. The myth’s explanation is coupled here with a reflection on guilt and forbidden knowledge. The work's psychology is centered on Pandora’s gaze: she does not look at the escaping evils but seems to stare at the viewer, implicating them in the imminent disaster. The style is typical of Rossetti’s "second manner," characterized by ample forms, fleshy lips, and luxuriant hair that seems to invade the pictorial space. Chiaroscuro is employed here to accentuate dramatic tension, with light concentrating on the face and hands, while the rest of the body fades into dark, earthy tones. It is a work where beauty is intrinsically linked to danger, a "femme fatale" before the term existed, embodying the destructive power of female desire as perceived by Victorians. Finally, the work testifies to Rossetti’s technical mastery in rendering fabrics and metals. The box, a true masterpiece of painted goldsmithery, bears the inscription "Nescitur Ignis Scitur," emphasizing the irreversible nature of the act. The density of the paint and the use of deep pigments give the painting a claustrophobic atmosphere, where the air itself seems saturated with evil emanations. This Pandora is not just an illustration of Hesiod; she is an icon of modern melancholy, where hope remains imprisoned within a structure of flesh and regret.