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The Beloved (also The Bride) is an oil painting on canvas by English artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti. It was first painted in 1865 and now in Tate Britain.

Contents

 * History
 * Standard of Beauty
 * Models
 * See also
 * References
 * Further reading
 * External links

History
This painting illustrates the Song of Solomon. Two passages from the Song of Solomon are inscribed on the picture's gilded frame:"My beloved is mine and I am his (2:16)"and"Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine (1:2)"

Standard of Beauty
The bride, caught in the action of moving back her veil, is surrounded by her four attendants and a young Black child in the foreground of the painting. This painting is thought to be one of the greatest pieces that celebrate a specific type of "feminine beauty." The white woman placed in the center has flawlessly pale skin, oval face, symmetrical features, blue green eyes and Cupid's bow lips. Many Art Historians have suggested that the paintings positioning of the models depict the paler woman as more beautiful and therefore upholds whiteness was a standard of beauty.

The contrast between the red hair and pale skin of the bride is stark. From the darker skin of the child to the dark hair and eyes of the bride's attendants. It has been suggested that this colour contrast, carefully painted as a frame to the bride's features, was influenced by a controversial painting by Édouard Manet, entitled Olympia (first exhibited in 1865). Rossetti made a visit to Manet while working on The Beloved, and the painting also owes much to the works of Titian.

Racism
Throughout history, Rossetti's Beloved has been criticized for being inconsiderate of certain races.

arranged the bride in a head-dress which is distinctly recognisable as Peruvian, and in a Japanese gown. Again, this abundance of exotic fabric frames the face of the bride, dominant in the centre of the canvas, with its western-European features. Rossetti ostensibly finished this oil in 1866, but continued to make changes to it throughout his life.

Models
The models for the painting include:


 * Alexa Wilding (front, the bride)
 * Ellen Smith (left)
 * Marie Ford (back left)
 * Fanny Eaton (1835–1924) (back right)
 * Keomi Gray (1849–1914) (front right)

Both male and female children were used as models for the initial studies of the child attendant, Gabriel is the name of one of the children who modelled for this figure.