THE PASSOVER IN THE HOLY FAMILY (FOR A DRAWING)

THE PASSOVER IN THE HOLY FAMILY

(FOR A DRAWING)

Here meet together the prefiguring day

  And day prefigured. ‘Eating, thou shalt stand,

  Feet shod, loins girt, thy road-staff in thine hand,

With blood-stained door and lintel,’ — did God say

By Moses’ mouth in ages passed away.

  And now, where this poor household doth comprise

  At Paschal-Feast two kindred families, —

Lo! the slain lamb confronts the Lamb to slay.

The pyre is piled. What agony’s crown attained,

  What shadow of Death the Boy’s fair brow subdues

Who holds that blood wherewith the porch is stained

  By Zachary the priest? John binds the shoes

  He deemed himself not worthy to unloose;

And Mary culls the bitter herbs ordained.

Dante Gabriel Rossetti THE PASSOVER IN THE HOLY FAMILY Watercolour on paper. 1856 Tate, London

Данте Габриэль Россетти ПАСХА В СВЯТОМ СЕМЕЙСТВЕ Бумага, акварель. 1856 Галерея Тейт, Лондон