Standing Woman, Facing Left c. 1850

Dante Gabriel Rossetti created this work, "Standing Woman, Facing Left," using sepia ink. Note how the artist uses flowing lines to delineate the figure, contrasting with the structural grid of her dress. This grid-like structure is not merely decorative; it imposes a sense of order and containment. The sepia ink, applied with varying degrees of intensity, creates a subtle interplay of light and shadow, adding depth to the composition. The subject's averted gaze suggests interiority and a degree of detachment. Her contrapposto stance, while subtle, hints at movement, yet the overall effect is one of stillness, a study in composure. Consider how Rossetti uses the interplay between the organic flow of the figure and the geometric grid of her dress to explore the tensions between nature and artifice, freedom and constraint. This tension adds layers to our understanding of identity and representation.