Maria Francesca Rossetti (17 February 1827 – 24 November 1876) was a London-born English author and nun. She was the sister of artist

Dante Gabriel Rossetti Gabriel Charles Dante Rossetti (12 May 1828 – 9 April 1882), generally known as Dante Gabriel Rossetti (), was an English poet, illustrator, painter, translator and member of the Rossetti family. He founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhoo ...

and

William Michael Rossetti William Michael Rossetti (25 September 1829 – 5 February 1919) was an English writer and critic. Early life Born in London, Rossetti was a son of immigrant Italian scholar Gabriele Rossetti and his wife Frances Rossetti ''née'' Polidor ...

, and of Christina Georgina Rossetti, who dedicated her 1862 poem ''

Goblin Market ''Goblin Market'' (composed in April 1859 and published in 1862) is a narrative poem by Christina Rossetti. The poem tells the story of Laura and Lizzie who are tempted with fruit by goblin merchants. In a letter to her publisher, Rossetti claim ...

'' to Maria.

Literary and religious life

She was the author of ''The Shadow of

Dante Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called (modern Italian: '' ...

: Being an essay towards studying himself, his world, and his pilgrimage'' (published 1871). She also acted as a governess during the years of family hardship brought on by her father's failing health, and tutored a young

Lucy Madox Brown Lucy Madox Brown Rossetti (19 July 1843 – 12 April 1894) was a British artist, author, and model associated with the Pre-Raphaelites. She was married to the writer and art critic William Michael Rossetti. Early life Madox Brown was born in P ...

, a future sister-in-law. At the age of 46, Maria joined the Society of All Saints, an

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

order for women.

wanted to paint her in her habit. She made an English translation of the Monastic Diurnal for her order, ''The Day Hours and Other Offices as Used by the Sisters of All Saints'', which was used by her order until 1922. She, along with her sister Christina, donated her time to the St.

Mary Magdalene Mary Magdalene (sometimes called Mary of Magdala, or simply the Magdalene or the Madeleine) was a woman who, according to the four canonical gospels, traveled with Jesus as one of his followers and was a witness to crucifixion of Jesus, his cru ...

Home for Fallen Women in

Highgate Highgate ( ) is a suburban area of north London at the northeastern corner of Hampstead Heath, north-northwest of Charing Cross. Highgate is one of the most expensive London suburbs in which to live. It has two active conservation organisati ...

. She unsuccessfully attempted to convert her agnostic brothers on her death bed.

Personal life

Her siblings teased her about her plain appearance, nicknaming her 'Moony' for her rounded face. Maria never married. She was a friend of

John Ruskin John Ruskin (8 February 1819 20 January 1900) was an English writer, philosopher, art critic and polymath of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as geology, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, botany and politi ...

, having visited his home at

Denmark Hill Denmark Hill is an area and road in Camberwell, in the London Borough of Southwark. It is a sub-section of the western flank of the Norwood Ridge, centred on the long, curved Ruskin Park slope of the ridge. The road is part of the A215 road, A21 ...

, and at 28 she developed romantic feelings for him after his marriage was annulled.

Death

Maria died of ovarian cancer in 1876, despite drawn-out treatments to try to drain the tumour.Dinah Roe, ''The Rossettis in Wonderland. A Victorian Family History'' (London: Haus Publishing, 2011), pp. 289–292. She was buried in the convent plot at

Brompton Cemetery Brompton Cemetery (originally the West of London and Westminster Cemetery) is a London cemetery, managed by The Royal Parks, in West Brompton in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is one of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries. Estab ...

Works

*Maria Francesca Rossetti, ''A Shadow of Dante: being an essay towards studying himself, his world and his pilgrimage'', Rivingtons, London, 1871,
edition Hathi Trust Digital Library
*Maria Francesca Rossetti, ''Exercises in idiomatic Italian through literal translation from the English'', Williams and Norgate, London 1867,
edition Internet Archive
*Maria Francesca Rossetti, Aneddoti italiani: Italian anecdotes, selected from ''Il compagno del passeggio Campestre'', Williams and Norgate, London 1867,
edition Internet Archive
*Maria Francesca Rossetti, ''Letters to My Bible Class on Thirty-nine Sundays'', Nabu Press A, 2011, *Maria Francesca Rossetti, ''The rivulets; a dream not all a dream'', A. Dod, London, 1846, OCLC 42216558 *Maria Francesca Rossetti, ''Dante's Pilgrimage Through Hell'', Kessinger Publishing, LLC, 2005, *Maria Francesca Rossetti, ''Dante's Pilgrimage Through Purgatory'', Kessinger Publishing, LLC, 2005, *Maria Francesca Rossetti, ''Dante's Pilgrimage Through Paradise'', Kessinger Publishing, LLC, 2010, *Maria Francesca Rossetti, ''Dante's Life Experience'', Kessinger Publishing, LLC, 2010,

Literary and religious life

Personal life

Death

Works

See also

References

Further reading