Woman Combing Her Hair Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882)

Here we observe a young woman engaged in a private ritual of grooming. She is positioned centrally within the composition, her gaze directed upwards and slightly off-center, suggesting introspection or perhaps a distant preoccupation. The most striking feature is undoubtedly her abundant hair, rendered in fiery shades of red and gold, which cascades around her shoulders and down her chest, almost overwhelming her form. This profusion of hair contributes to an overall sense of romanticism and heightened emotion.
The artist has employed a warm color palette dominated by reds, oranges, and yellows, creating a luminous atmosphere that seems both intimate and dreamlike. The light source appears to originate from the left, illuminating her face and highlighting the texture of her skin and hair. A darker background, hinting at a richly decorated interior with what might be tapestries or heavy drapes, serves to isolate the figure and intensify the focus on her solitary activity.
The objects arranged on the table before her – a comb, a mirror, decorative bottles, and a small dish containing what appears to be cosmetics – further reinforce the theme of personal beauty and self-reflection. The peacock feather placed amongst these items introduces an element of exoticism and perhaps alludes to themes of vanity or allure.
The woman’s expression is complex; it isnt one of simple contentment, but rather a mixture of melancholy and longing. Her slightly parted lips and the subtle furrowing of her brow suggest a deeper emotional state that extends beyond the superficial act of combing her hair. The scene evokes a sense of quiet contemplation, hinting at an inner world rich with unspoken thoughts and feelings.
The painting’s subtexts revolve around themes of beauty, femininity, introspection, and perhaps even a touch of yearning or regret. It is not merely a depiction of a woman grooming herself; its a portrait of a soul engaged in a moment of private reflection, suspended between the tangible world and an internal landscape of dreams and desires.