Who was Dante Gabriel Rossetti? Painter and Poet. Date and Place of Birth: 12th May 1828, London, England. Christened Gabriel Charles Dante Rossetti. Family Background: Son of Gabrielle Rossetti and Lavinia Polidori and brother of Christina Rossetti. Also studies in the studio of Ford Maddox Brown. Education: King’s College. Sass’s Drawing School, Bloomsbury, London. Royal Academy Schools, London. Chronology: 1848: Forms the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood with William Holman Hunt and John Everett Millais. 1849: Completes the painting"Childhood of Mary Virgin." Meets Elizabeth Siddal for the first time and trains her in the art of painting. and writing. She becomes his model. 1850: Finalises work on the painting "Ecce Ancilla Domini". "The Germ" is published featuring many works by Pre-Raphaelites and their symapathisers. Rossetti includes his poems "The Blessed Damozel" and "My Sister's Sleep". 1854: Meets John Ruskin. 1856: Meets William Morris, over whom he was to become a great influence. 1861: Publishes "The Early Italian Poets" which consisted of translations from sixty major Italian poets such as Dante himself. 1862: Badly affected by the death of his wife from an overdose of Laudanum. His work began to take on a more and more morbid turn. 1869: Began an affair with Jane Morris, the wife of William Morris. 1871-74: Jane began to model for him on his stay at Kelmscott Manor. 1872: After a particularly bad attack of depression he attempted suicide. 1880: Jane posed for his painting "The Daydream". 1881: Published his "Ballads and Sonnets" which featured "The King's Tragedy. Written Works: 1850: “The Gem.” 1861: “Early Italian Poets”. 1870: “Poems”. 1881: “Ballads and Sonnets”. (1886): “Collected Works”. Marriage: 1860 to Elizabeth Siddal. (died 1862 from an overdose of Laudanum) Places of Interest: BIRMINGHAM: Museum and Art Gallery LONDON: Victoria and Albert Museum Date and Place of Death: 9th April 1882, Birchington-on-Sea, Kent, England. Age at Death: 54. Site of Grave: All Saint's Churchyard, Birchington-on-Sea, Kent, England.