Canvas
An unbleached and somewhat rough-textured cloth, made of cotton or linen, on which oil painting is made.
Selfsame
Exactly the same. In the context of this sonnet, selfsame helps to underline the identicality of each portrait; acts as a stronger version of “identical.”
C.f. Keats: "Perhaps the self-same song that found a path / Through the sad heart of Ruth, when, sick for home, / She stood in tears amid the alien corn" (Ode to a Nightingale)
Opal
A mineral deposit that is known for its many different colors.
Opal usually carries connotations of mysteriousness and vibrancy.
Ruby
A precious red stone
Wan
Pale and giving the impression of illness or exhaustion
Joyfull
an archaic spelling of joyful: to be full of joy
