We must not look at goblin men

Morning and evening 
Maids heard the goblins cry:
“Come buy our orchard fruits,
Come buy, come buy:”  

This afternoon we visited the Watt’s Gallery exhibition on Christina Rossetti, sister of Gabriel Dante and an incredible poet. At one stage I was enchanted by a little girl reading Christina’s poetry which lined the upper floor rail. She couldn’t have been more than 8 years old. Her reading was exceptional and her voice delightful.

I should add that she was a bit of an exception given the other two little girls who sounded like little banshees while I was trying to listen to a recorded recitation of The Goblin Market. They made it impossible. Not that I was that bothered. I think the sound of kids shrieking with delight is…well, delightful.

We decided to go to the exhibition for two reasons. As a sort of reward for Mirinda actually completing the first draft of her thesis and because it was the last day.

Before going, I knew very little about Christina Rosetti apart from her face which was used in countless Pre-Raphaelite paintings. Now I know a lot more. And what a fascinating woman she was. And incredibly talented.

Evening by evening 
Among the brookside rushes,
Laura bow’d her head to hear,
Lizzie veil’d her blushes:

Crouching close together 
In the cooling weather, 
With clasping arms and cautioning lips, 
With tingling cheeks and finger tips. 

Born in 1830, Christina was part of an incredible period of change in British art. Mind you, it was a change that returned to a more classic period, the art and writing of more fairy tale times.

Though probably best known for her modelling, she also wrote the words for the Christmas carol, In the Bleak Mid-winter as well as the amazing Goblin Market. To be completely frank, I’d never heard of The Goblin Market before today. Having read about it and seen snippets, I now want a copy in our library. (Arthur Rackham illustrated an edition that I now covert.)

She also wrote a children’s book called Speaking Likenesses which is said to be in the style of Alice. I’ll have to check that out. And, speaking of Lewis Carroll, she was photographed by Charles Dodgson (along with the rest of her family) in some amazing portraits.

Golden head by golden head, 
Like two pigeons in one nest 
Folded in each other’s wings, 
They lay down in their curtain’d bed: 

Overall, the exhibition was an excellent all round view of an exceptional all rounder.

I’m now a big fan.

NB: All quotes above are from The Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti, available online at: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44996/goblin-market