Elizabeth Siddal - Examples as Model
Willowy, with a rose tinted complexion and demure aspect, the young Elizabeth Siddal epitomised the Pre-Raphaelite ideal of maidenly beauty . After she was "discovered" circa 1850, Lizzie sat first for Walter Deverell and then later William Holman Hunt ,John Millais and Rossetti.
By 1852 under Rossetti's tutelage , she was aspiring to become an artist and poet herself, and only modelling exclusively for Rossetti at his request.
Walter Deverell - Twelfth Night 1849/50
The traditional story goes that Walter Deverell first cast eyes on Lizzie as she worked in Mrs Tozer's millinery establishment off Leicester Square while visiting the shop with his mother. However an alternative version also exists in that he probably met her when she attended classes or took some dressmaking designs to the Government School of Design where he worked as an assistant master. The result of their meeting was Lizzie's first foray as a model.
The shortness of Viola's dress(and leg exposure) was considered racy, and caused critical comment. Rossetti sat for the jester.
Twelfth Night -Walter Deverell - Wikimedia Commons
William Holman Hunt 1851 - Valentine Rescuing Sylvia From Proteus
In a scene from Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona, Lizzie modelled for Sylvia. John Ruskin was not impressed with the result commenting: " Sylvia is not a person who Proteus or anyone else would have been likely to fall in love with ". To Lizzie's chagrin, Hunt modified some of Sylvia's features.
 |
| Valentine Rescuing Sylvia From Proteus - William Holman Hunt Wikimedia Commons |
John Everett Millais - Ophelia 1852
From Shakespeare's Hamlet, the Tate's most popular work, with world recognition . The painting that sealed Lizzie's fame as a Pre-Raphaelite icon, famously becoming severely ill, after freezing in a bath tub of increasingly cold water for hours without complaint.
"Millais could see tragedy already at the core of Lizzie's personality" Franny Moyle Desperate Romantics.
 |
| John Everett Millais - Ophelia 1852 - Wikimedia Commons |
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Rossovestita 1850 (Dressed in Red)
Open to debate, but some scholars consider this the to be first painting Of Elizabeth Siddal by Rossetti.
Beatrice at a Marriage Feast Denying her Salutation to Dante 1852
Lizzie modelled as Beatrice, the medieval Italian poet's Dante's great platonic love and poetic inspiration. In the tradition of courtly love, Dante loved Beatrice from afar, although she was married to someone else.
(Such was Rossetti's reverence for Dante's work , that he chose to be known professionally as Dante Gabriel Rossetti instead of his name Gabriel Dante Rossetti.)
 |
Beatrice at a Marriage Feast Denying her Salutation to Dante 1852 Wikimedia Commons |
.jpg) |
| DG Rossetti The Meeting of Dante and Beatrice in Paradise 1853 Wikimedia Commons |
Dante drawing an Angel On The Anniversary of Beatrice's Death 1853
 |
| Dante drawing an Angel in Memory of Beatrice 1853 -DG Rossetti Wikimedia Commons |
Elizabeth Siddal
 |
| Elizabeth Siddal DG Rossetti CC-BY-NC-ND - Fitzwilliam Museum |
Portrait of Elizabeth Siddal 1854
Portrait of Elizabeth Siddal DG Rossetti 1854 -Wikimedia Commons
Paolo and Francesca da Rimini 1855
 |
| Paolo and Francesca da Rimini 1855Dante Gabriel Rossetti, CC BY-SA 4.0 |
Passover in the Holy Family : Gathering Bitter herbs 1856
 |
| Passover in the Holy Family DG Rossetti 1856 Wikimedia Commons |
The Tune of Seven Towers 1857
 |
| The Tune of Seven Towers DG Rossetti 1857 Wikimedia Commons |
The Blue Closet 1857
 |
| The Blue Closet -DG Rossetti Wikimedia Commons |
Wedding of St George 1858
 |
Wedding of St George DG Rossetti 1858 Wikimedia Commons |
From 1858 to 1860, Lizzie and Rossetti appear to have been estranged. However on hearing she was seriously ill in 1860, he visited her and an impulsive surprise wedding took place. By this time Rossetti's female depictions had became more sensually , possible as a result of his relationship with Fanny Cornforth(as evidenced in his portrait of her in Bocca Baciata 1859). Rossetti's wedding portrait of Lizzie in 1860 reflects this.
.jpg) |
| Regina Cordium DG Rossetti 1860- Wikimedia Commons |
Hamlet and Ophelia 1860
St George and the Princess Sabra 1862
This was the last painting that Lizzie modelled for Rossetti, a few days before her death.
Beata Beatrix 1864-70
Considered a memorial his late wife, Rossetti based the face of Beatrice on various drawings of Lizzie. The painting shows the moment when Beatrice the love of the Italian poet Dante becomes divine after death.
.jpg) |
| Beata Beatrix DG Rossetti |
"A Drawerful of Guggums"
Rossetti 's pet names for Lizzie included Guggum or Guggums . According to his friend, the artist Ford Madox Brown, Rossetti had "a drawer full of 'Guggums',....it is like a monomania with him".
 |
| CC-BY-NC-ND - Fitzwilliam Museum |
 |
| c1854 Hastings |
 |
| c1854 Hastings CC-BY-NC-ND - Fitzwilliam Museum |
 |
| c 1854 |
 |
| c1860 |
 |
| c1860 |
.jpg) |
| c 1860 |
Elizabeth Siddal - Self Portrait
A self portrait, Lizzie looks directly at the viewer , a contrast to her averted gaze in Rossetti's images . She has not romanticised her image in any way. Rossetti's brother Michael considered it a good likeness of her.
 |
| E Siddal c1854 |
.jpg){kind=link}
Comments
Post a Comment