Dante Rossetti's Beata Beatrix- Narrative

Dante Rossetti’s painting Beata Beatrix had a huge influence on the European symbolism movement. This painting was developed because an event that occurred in his private life, his wife’s death. The painting is supposed to represent his deceased wife Elizabeth Siddal. Rossetti became increasingly depressed after losing his wife and idealized Elizabeth as Dante’s Beatrice in many paintings including Beata Beatrix.
The painting contrasts both good and bad by the two images in the back. The darker shaded object represents bad and the object with less value represents the good. The flower is highlighted to emphasize the importance of it and the dove. [Also, the middle of the background is highlighted to show the woman, the focal point in the painting, is good.] The colors in the painting are very dreary, which gives the viewer the illusion that the painting isn’t meant to be joyful.
The image shows the woman in the photo is choosing between good and bad. The woman desires to be good but struggles with if she truly deserves to be good. The woman looks as if she gave up all control because her face is so relaxed and she is leaving it up to a higher spirit to decide her fate. The flower being given to her by the dove represents peace and that the higher spirit decided to allow her to be good.