Watercolour on paper
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Art Fund
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/dante-gabriel-rossetti-461" aria-label="More by Dante Gabriel Rossetti" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Dante Gabriel Rossetti</a>
Tune Seven Towers
Purchased with assistance from Sir Arthur Du Cros Bt and Sir Otto Beit KCMG through the Art Fund 1916
actions: postures and motions
adults
animals: birds
architecture
astronomy
bed
bedroom
branch
castle
chair
couple
domestic
domestic
dove
female - lily
female - moon
fine arts and music
flag - non-specific
food and drink
fruit, orange
furnishings
gender
group
groups
history
instrument, bell
instrument, stringed
interiors
leisure and pastimes
lily
maid
male - rose
male - sun
man
marriage - orange tree
military
moon
music
music and entertainment
named individuals
objects
people
people
period: Middle Ages
plants and flowers
politics and society
religious and ceremonial
rose
sex and relationships
Siddal, Elizabeth Eleanor
Siddal, Elizabeth Eleanor - dove
sitting
society
society
sun
symbols and personifications
woman
work and occupations
<p>The subject of this image remains a mystery. It may have been inspired by medieval songs or tales, and its composition and colour reflect the intensity of illuminated manuscripts. As with other works by Rossetti, it may be partly autobiographical, as he was at the time considering marriage to Elizabeth Siddall, who posed for the seated figure in red. A servant (top left) places a branch of an orange-tree, a symbol of marriage, on the bed. However, instead of being joyous, the scene is extremely melancholy, perhaps an allusion to Siddall's illness at this time, which was thought to be fatal.</p><p><em>Gallery label, August 2004</em></p>
paper unique watercolour
21 January 2002 – 21 September 2002
2002-09-21
21 January 2002 – 21 September 2002
2002-09-21
2002-01-21
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2002-01-21
Rossetti and Medievalism
Collection based display
1 October 2003 – 30 April 2004
2004-04-30
17 October 2003 – 18 January 2004
2004-01-18
2003-10-17
Walker Art Gallery (Liverpool, UK)
http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk
27 February 2004 – 6 April 2004
2004-04-06
2004-02-27
Van Gogh Museum (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
http://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/
2003-10-01
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Loan-out
26 February 2009 – 24 May 2009
2009-05-24
26 February 2009 – 24 May 2009
2009-05-24
2009-02-26
National Museum of Fine Arts (Stockholm, Sweden)
http://www.nationalmuseum.se
2009-02-26
The Pre-Raphaelites
Loan-out
16 February 2011 – 21 August 2011
2011-08-21
16 February 2011 – 21 August 2011
2011-08-21
2011-02-16
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2011-02-16
Watercolour
Exhibition
12 September 2012 – 31 January 2014
2014-01-31
12 September 2012 – 13 January 2013
2013-01-13
2012-09-12
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
17 February 2013 – 19 May 2013
2013-05-19
2013-02-17
National Gallery of Art (Washington DC, USA)
2012-09-12
Pre-Raphaelites: Victorian Avant-Garde
Exhibition
17 February 2013 – 31 August 2014
2014-08-31
17 February 2013 – 19 May 2013
2013-05-19
2013-02-17
National Gallery of Art (Washington DC, USA)
2013-02-17
Pre-Raphaelites: Victorian Avant-Garde
Loan-out
6 October 2017 – 20 May 2018
2018-05-20
6 October 2017 – 14 January 2018
2018-01-14
2017-10-06
Fundación Juan March (Madrid, Spain)
http://www.march.es
22 February 2018 – 20 May 2018
2018-05-20
2018-02-22
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (Barcelona, Spain)
http://www.mnac.es
2017-10-06
William Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement in Britain
Loan-out
14 December 2018 – 19 September 2021
2021-09-19
14 December 2018 – 28 April 2019
2019-04-28
2018-12-14
National Gallery of Australia (Canberra, Australia)
13 May 2021 – 19 September 2021
2021-09-19
2021-05-13
Hungarian National Gallery (Budapest, Hungary)
2018-12-14
Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood
Tate partnerships & programmes
6 April 2023 – 24 September 2023
2023-09-24
6 April 2023 – 24 September 2023
2023-09-24
2023-04-06
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
21 October 2023 – 28 January 2024
2024-01-28
2023-10-21
Delaware Art Museum (Wilmington, USA)
2023-04-06
The Rossettis
Exhibition
1 October 2023 – 31 January 2024
2024-01-31
1 October 2023 – 31 January 2024
2024-01-31
2023-10-01
Delaware Art Museum (Wilmington, USA)
2023-10-01
Rossetti
Loan-out
The Tune of the Seven Towers
support: 314 × 365 mm
frame: 552 × 570 × 35 mm
Purchased with assistance from Sir Arthur Du Cros Bt and Sir Otto Beit KCMG through the <a href="/search?gid=999999968" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Art Fund</a> 1916
<p>The subject of this image remains  a mystery. It may have been inspired  by medieval songs or tales, and its <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/c/composition" title="Glossary definition for 'Composition'"><span>composition</span></a> and colour reflect the intensity of illuminated manuscripts.  As with other works by Rossetti, it  may be partly autobiographical, as  he was at the time considering marriage  to Elizabeth Siddall, who posed for the seated figure in red. A servant (top left) places a branch of an orange-tree,  a symbol of marriage, on the bed. However, instead of being joyous, the scene is extremely melancholy, perhaps  an allusion to Siddall's illness at this  time, which was thought to be fatal.</p>
Display caption
2004-08-18T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
actions: postures and motions adults animals: birds architecture astronomy bed bedroom branch castle chair couple domestic domestic dove female - lily female - moon fine arts and music flag - non-specific food and drink fruit, orange furnishings gender group groups history instrument, bell instrument, stringed interiors leisure and pastimes lily maid male - rose male - sun man marriage - orange tree military moon music music and entertainment named individuals objects people people period: Middle Ages plants and flowers politics and society religious and ceremonial rose sex and relationships Siddal, Elizabeth Eleanor Siddal, Elizabeth Eleanor - dove sitting society society sun symbols and personifications woman work and occupations