{"title":"Siddal, Lizzie","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eElizabeth Eleanor Siddall (1829-1862)\u003c\/strong\u003e, better known as Lizzie Siddal, was an English artist, art model and poet. Siddal was perhaps the most significant of the female models who posed for the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Their ideas of female beauty were fundamentally influenced and personified by her. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLizzie was introduced into the Pre-Raphaelite circle when, in 1849 and whilst working at a millinery in Cranbourne Alley, London, she made the acquaintance of Walter Deverell. Accounts differ on the circumstances of their meeting. Deverell subsequently employed Siddal as a model.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeverell and William Holman Hunt both painted Siddal, and she was the model for John Everett Millais's famous painting Ophelia (1852). She became romantically involved with Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and became his muse and exclusive model. He portrayed her in almost all his early artwork depicting women.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor John Everett Millais's Ophelia, Siddal floated in a bathtub full of water to portray the drowning Ophelia. Millais painted daily through the winter, putting oil lamps under the tub to warm the water. On one occasion, the lamps went out and the water became icy cold. Millais, absorbed by his painting, did not notice and Siddal did not complain. After this, she became ill with a severe cold or pneumonia. Her father held Millais responsible and, under the threat of legal action, Millais paid her doctor's bills.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1851 or 1852, Lizzie and Rossetti were engaged, and also at that time she began to study with Rossetti. She began staying at his Chatham Place residence, sometimes with him and sometimes by herself. They subsequently became anti-social and absorbed in each other's affections. They coined affectionate nicknames for one another, such as \"Guggums\" or \"Gug\" and \"Dove\", the latter one of Rossetti's names for Siddal. He also shortened the spelling of her surname to Siddal, dropping the second l.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSiddal became an artist in her own right and was the only woman to exhibit at an 1857 Pre-Raphaelite exhibition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs Siddal came from a working-class family, Rossetti feared introducing her to his family. Siddal was the victim of harsh criticism from his sisters. The knowledge that his family would not approve contributed to Rossetti delaying the marriage. Siddal appears to have believed, with some justification, that Rossetti was always seeking to replace her with a younger muse, which contributed to her later depressive periods and illness. Although Ruskin urged Rossetti to marry in 1855, their relationship deteriorated: the reasons probably included Siddal's ill-health, her laudanum addiction, Rossetti's philandering, Rossetti's lack of funds, the aforementioned disapproval of the Rossetti family, and Rossetti's probable aversion to marriage in general.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Spring 1860, Siddal's family contacted Ruskin with the news that Siddal was gravely ill. Ruskin in turn informed Rossetti. Siddal was at the seaside resort of Hastings. In a change of heart, Rossetti hurried to her side that April with a marriage licence. Siddal and Rossetti married on Wednesday, 23 May 1860 at St. Clement's Church in Hastings. There were no family or friends present, only a couple of witnesses whom they had asked. When Siddal's health improved, they honeymooned in Paris and Boulogne in the latter half of 1860, then returned to the Chatham Place residence that they expanded into an adjoining house.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was thought that she suffered from tuberculosis, but some historians believe an intestinal disorder was more likely. Elbert Hubbard wrote that \"She suffered much from neuralgia, and the laudanum taken to relieve the pain had grown into a necessity.\" Others suggest that she may have been anorexic or that her poor health was due to laudanum addiction or a combination of ailments.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSiddal travelled to Paris and Nice for several years for her health. At the time of her wedding, she was so frail and ill that she had to be carried to the church, despite it being a five-minute walk from where she was staying. She became severely depressed and her long illness gave her access to laudanum to which she became addicted. By 1861, Siddal became pregnant, which ended with the birth of a stillborn daughter. The stillbirth left Siddal with post-partum depression. By early 1862, she had become pregnant for a second time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSiddal overdosed on laudanum on 10 February 1862. She, Rossetti, and his friend Algernon Charles Swinburne had dined together in a nearby hotel. After having taken Siddal home, Rossetti attended his weekly lecture at the Working Men's College. Upon returning home from teaching, Rossetti found Siddal unconscious in bed and could not revive her. The first doctor Rossetti called claimed that he was unable to save her, upon which Rossetti sent for another three doctors. A stomach pump was used, but to no avail. She died at 7:20 am on 11 February 1862 at their home at 14 Chatham Place. Her obituary noted that she \"had expressed no wish to die, but quite the reverse. Indeed she contemplated going out of town in a day or two, and had ordered a new mantle which she intended to wear on the occasion.\" The coroner ruled her death as accidental; however, there are suggestions that Rossetti found a suicide note, with the words \"Please look after Harry\" (her invalid brother, who may have had a slight intellectual disability), supposedly \"pinned on the breast of her night-shirt.\" Consumed with grief and guilt Rossetti allegedly went to see Ford Madox Brown who is supposed to have instructed him to burn the note. Since suicide was illegal and considered immoral, it would have brought scandal on the family and barred Siddal from a Christian burial.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn August 1869, Rossetti had her coffin disinterred to retrieve a handwritten book of Rossetti's poems, which he had laid beside her head before burial. Rossetti then published the contents in Poems (1870).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis poem \"\u003cstrong\u003eWithout Her\u003c\/strong\u003e\" was a reflection on life once love has departed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat of her glass without her? The blank grey\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eThere where the pool is blind of the moon's face.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eHer dress without her? The tossed empty space\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eOf cloud-rack whence the moon has passed away.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eHer paths without her? Day's appointed sway\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eUsurped by desolate night. Her pillowed place\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eWithout her? Tears, ah me! For love's good grace,\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eAnd cold forgetfulness of night or day.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat of the heart without her? Nay, poor heart,\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eOf thee what word remains ere speech be still?\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eA wayfarer by barren ways and chill,\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eSteep ways and weary, without her thou art,\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhere the long cloud, the long wood's counterpart,\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eSheds doubled up darkness up the labouring hill.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe picture above is 'Beata Beatrix' by Gabriel Dante Rossetti, said to be a tribute to Lizzie Siddal after her death\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"siddal-lizzie-1829-1862-clerk-saunders-1857","title":"Siddal, Lizzie (1829-1862) - Clerk Saunders 1857","description":"\u003cp\u003eClerk Sanders is an 1857 drawing by Pre-Raphaelite artist and muse, Lizzie Siddal. The tragic story of Clerk Saunders and his sweetheart Mary Margaret was an ancient native folk ballad, collected by Sir Walter Scott and published as the Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border (1802-3).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download consists of 1 image in JPEG format that is 600dpi and 3664 pixels wide by 5144 pixels tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe picture is out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use it in whatever way you'd like, including commercial use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead more about \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/publicdomainimagelibrary.com\/collections\/siddal-lizzie\" title=\"Lizzie Siddal\"\u003eLizzie Siddal\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 1 image","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50740569997642,"sku":null,"price":0.8,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/files\/Siddal_Lizzie_1829-1862_-ClerkSaunders1857_main.jpg?v=1747051990"},{"product_id":"siddal-lizzie-1829-1862-lady-affixing-a-pennon-to-a-knights-spear-c-1858","title":"Siddal, Lizzie (1829-1862) - Lady Affixing a Pennon to a Knight's Spear c.1858","description":"\u003cp\u003eLady Affixing a Pennon to a Knight's Spear is a c.1858 drawing by Pre-Raphaelite artist and muse, Lizzie Siddal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download consists of 1 image in JPEG format that is 600dpi and 5220 pixels wide by 5410 pixels tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe picture is out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use it in whatever way you'd like, including commercial use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead more about \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/publicdomainimagelibrary.com\/collections\/siddal-lizzie\" title=\"Lizzie Siddal\"\u003eLizzie Siddal\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 1 image","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50740669088074,"sku":null,"price":0.8,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/files\/Siddal_Lizzie_1829-1862_-LadyAffixingaPennontoaKnight_sSpear_main.jpg?v=1747051990"},{"product_id":"siddal-lizzie-1829-1862-sir-patrick-spens-1856","title":"Siddal, Lizzie (1829-1862) - Sir Patrick Spens 1856","description":"\u003cp\u003eSir Patrick Spens is an 1856 drawing by Pre-Raphaelite artist and muse, Lizzie Siddal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download consists of 1 image in JPEG format that is 600dpi and 4704 pixels wide by 5096 pixels tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe picture is out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use it in whatever way you'd like, including commercial use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead more about \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/publicdomainimagelibrary.com\/collections\/siddal-lizzie\" title=\"Lizzie Siddal\"\u003eLizzie Siddal\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 1 image","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50740717453642,"sku":null,"price":0.8,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/files\/Siddal_Lizzie_1829-1862_-SirPatrickSpens1856_main.jpg?v=1747051989"},{"product_id":"pre-raphaelite-collection-574-high-resolution-images","title":"Pre-Raphaelite Collection - 574 High Resolution Images","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eExperience the beauty and passion of the Pre-Raphaelite movement through this collection of 574 images from talented Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood members and artists who embraced the style.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan data-huuid=\"3096898007996193811\"\u003eThe Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was a group of English painters, poets and art critics formed in 1848. They rejected the academic art of the Royal Academy and instead sought inspiration in the art of the Italian Renaissance period before Raphael. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-huuid=\"3096898007996192440\"\u003eThe group's name reflected their preference for the \"primitive\" and \"innocent\" style of that era.\u003cspan class=\"pjBG2e\" data-cid=\"658cb21f-afe5-40e7-818e-d80903faf6db\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"UV3uM\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan data-huuid=\"3096898007996192440\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"pjBG2e\" data-cid=\"658cb21f-afe5-40e7-818e-d80903faf6db\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"UV3uM\"\u003eIt was founded by William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Michael Rossetti, James Collinson, Frederic George Stephens and Thomas Woolner who formed a seven-member \"Brotherhood\" partly modelled on the Nazarene movement. The Brotherhood was only ever a loose association and their principles were shared by other artists of the time, including Ford Madox Brown, Arthur Hughes and Marie Spartali Stillman. Later followers of the principles of the Brotherhood included Edward Burne-Jones and John William Waterhouse amongst others.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download features 574 hi-res images, in jpeg format. The images are all 600dpi or 300dpi and range in size from 2715 pixels wide\/tall to 21359 pixels wide\/tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pictures are out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use them in whatever way you’d like, including commercial use.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 574 images","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50820799070538,"sku":null,"price":10.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/files\/Pre-Raphaelite_Collection_-_574_Images.jpg?v=1747045202"},{"product_id":"women-artists-180-images","title":"Women Artists - 180 High Resolution Images","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWomen artists have long shaped the landscape of creativity, using their voices and visions to challenge norms and inspire change, however until recently, the work of many of these women has been overlooked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWomen not only express unique perspectives but also illuminate the experiences of marginalised communities. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThey carve spaces for dialogue, provoke thought, and evoke emotion through their art.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCelebrating their contributions reminds us of the importance of diversity in artistic expression. As we honour women artists with this collection of remarkable images, we acknowledge their resilience, innovation, and the indelible mark they leave on the world of art.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download features 180 hi-res images in JPEG format that are all 600dpi and range in size from 3048 pixels wide\/tall to 7290 pixels wide\/tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe collection features pictures by women artists from the 1600s all the way through to the early 20th century.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClick on the link above to see a full list of the images and their sizes.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pictures are out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use them in whatever way you’d like, including commercial use.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 180 images","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51224326046026,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/files\/Women_Artists_-_180_images.jpg?v=1751910578"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/collections\/Rossetti_Dante_Gabriel_1828-1882-780006.jpg?v=1745474544","url":"https:\/\/www.publicdomainimagelibrary.com\/collections\/siddal-lizzie.oembed","provider":"Public Domain Image Library","version":"1.0","type":"link"}