Maria Francesca Rossetti

Maria Francesca Rossetti
Maria Francesca Rossetti
Born	17 February 1827; London, England
Died	24 November 1876 (aged 49); London, England
Occupation	Writer, nun
Notable works	The Shadow of Dante: Being an Essay Towards Studying Himself, His World and His Pilgrimage.
Parents	Gabriele Rossetti; Frances Polidori;
Relatives	Dante Gabriel Rossetti (brother); Christina Georgina Rossetti (sister); William Michael Rossetti (brother); Gaetano Polidori (maternal grandfather); John William Polidori (maternal uncle);

Maria Francesca Rossetti (17 February 1827 – 24 November 1876) was an English author and Anglican nun. She was the sister of artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti and William Michael Rossetti, and of Christina Georgina Rossetti, who dedicated her 1862 poem Goblin Market to Maria.

Maria Francesca’s literary work includes A Shadow of Dante: Being an Essay Towards Studying Himself, His World, and His Pilgrimage, published in 1871, which reflects her deep engagement with Dante Alighieri’s writings and Italian literary culture. In 1874, at the age of 47, she entered the Society of All Saints, an Anglican order of women.

Her younger sister Christina devoted her 1862 poem Goblin Market to Maria Francesca, acknowledging the bond between them. Maria Francesca died in November 1876 after a period of illness, leaving a legacy of writing and religious dedication.