Dante and Beatrice by Henry Holiday (1839 - 1927)- Painted in 1883 and in full size print format displayed on the wall in our front hall throughout my childhood - gives me a weird feeling every time I look at it:
My mother had it on the wall because it was by her standards, "pleasantly pornographic," except she had a more polite way of putting it. It was in a heavy dark oak frame traditionally hung on a chain from the picture rail, above a large dark oak blanket box with a galleon carved on the lid, and the box was flanked between a pair of dark oak Jacobean style chairs with high carved backs and barley-twist legs. Altogether a most romantic ensemble that must certainly have coloured my young imagination.
Repeat of previous blog for new readers.
