Buzz
While many admire the wombat for its endearing, robust, and hardworking nature, only a true artist could envision it as a source of creative inspiration.
This was precisely the perspective of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, a 19th-century painter and poet. As a prominent figure and founding member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB), Rossetti was renowned for his artistic brilliance and tumultuous personality. His life was marked by chaos, emotional turmoil, and a penchant for drama, beautiful women he dubbed “stunners,” and exotic creatures, much like his contemporaries.
Following the tragic death of his devoted wife, artist Lizzie Siddal, Rossetti relocated to a lavish London residence and began amassing a menagerie of exotic animals. His collection included armadillos, owls, a woodchuck, peacocks, a salamander, and even two jackasses. Dogs of various breeds, parakeets, kangaroos, a marmot, and a bull also found a home with him. He nearly acquired an elephant, but the arrangement collapsed. Yet, none of these creatures could rival the significance of his beloved wombat.
Rossetti’s obsession with wombats started long before. He adored these plump marsupials and insisted his friends share his enthusiasm. He even held meetings at the wombat enclosure in the London Zoo. Artist Val Prinsep later recalled how Rossetti captivated his circle: “Rossetti was the sun we orbited, mimicking his speech. Every stunning woman was a ‘stunner’ to us, and wombats were the pinnacle of divine creation.”
The humble, cube-pooping wombat became a symbol in the PRB’s inner lore. Artists, who typically painted deities, angels, and nymphs, started drawing wombats. Below is a sketch by the famous painter Edward Burne-Jones.
Sketch by Edward Burne-Jones. Public Domain.
Owning a live wombat was a dream come true for Rossetti. “The wombat is pure joy, delight, and insanity,” he wrote to his brother William Michael. Rossetti quickly involved the wombat in his mischief, naming it Top—a sly nod to the PRB’s nickname for William Morris, the oblivious husband of Rossetti’s new romantic interest. In one depiction, Rossetti shows Jane Morris, radiant, walking the chubby Top on a leash.
"An aureoled Mrs. Morris leading a wombat by a ribbon across the cloudy floor of heaven," by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Image Credit: British Museum
Top enjoyed unrestricted freedom in the house. Guests often recounted stories of discovering him napping on the dining table, nibbling on women’s straw hats, or gnawing at men’s trousers.
However, Top’s time was short-lived. Like many of Rossetti’s passions, this one ended in sorrow. Top was frail from the beginning. William Michael described him as “…the most sluggish and inept of wombats, with an aura of helpless innocence.”
Rossetti, to his credit, summoned a veterinarian to care for his cherished wombat, but it was too late. While wombats typically live 15 to 20 years in captivity, Top passed away at just two years old.
Rossetti was heartbroken. He had Top preserved and placed him near the entrance. The artist expressed his sorrow through a peculiar, illustrated poem.
Image Credit: British Museum
I never raised a young wombat
To bring me joy with his tiny, gleaming eye,
But just when he was at his plumpest and most endearing,
And without a tail, he was destined to die!
