Masterpiece watercolours and drawings
Exhibition held at the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight, 28 June to 9 November 2008 and The Herbert in Coventry, 13 January to 22 March 2009.
Accession number LL 3647
Coloured chalks, 100.8 x 66.7cm
Purchased by Lord Leverhulme in 1919 for the Lady Lever Art Gallery.
In the Greek myth, the god Jupiter gave a casket to Pandora, a mortal woman, and forbade her from opening it. She took it back to earth and opened it, letting forth all evils into the world. Only Hope was left inside. The Latin words on the casket, 'Ultima Manet Specs' mean 'Hope remains last.' The face and figure type of Pandora are based on Jane Morris but this is not a portrait.
The meaning of the image is ambiguous. Is Pandora an evil femme fatale who ruins men by her disobedience? Or is she a heroic woman who defies the gods to take control of her own fate?
This drawing is available to send as an e-card.
Find out more about the artist in our Dante Gabriel Rossetti online feature.