Interesting also that she was the model for several painters. No wonder she became ill posing like this in the cold water. That must have been very difficult to endure.
I like the Isabella one
Here are some poems by Elizabeth Siddal A Silent Wood O silent wood, I enter thee With a heart so full of misery For all the voices from the trees And the ferns that cling about my knees. In thy darkest shadow let me sit When the grey owls about thee flit; There will I ask of thee a boon, That I may not faint or die or swoon. Gazing through the gloom like one Whose life and hopes are also done, Frozen like a thing of stone I sit in thy shadow – but not alone. Can God bring back the day when we two stood Beneath the clinging trees in that dark wood? Dead Love Oh never weep for love that’s dead Since love is seldom true But changes his fashion from blue to red, From brightest red to blue, And love was born to an early death And is so seldom true. Then harbour no smile on your bonny face To win the deepest sigh. The fairest words on truest lips Pass on and surely die, And you will stand alone, my dear, When wintry winds draw nigh. Sweet, never weep for what cannot be, For this God has not given. If the merest dream of love were true Then, sweet, we should be in heaven, And this is only earth, my dear, Where true love is not given. Early Death Oh grieve not with thy bitter tears The life that passes fast; The gates of heaven will open wide And take me in at last. Then sit down meekly at my side And watch my young life flee; Then solemn peace of holy death Come quickly unto thee. But true love, seek me in the throng Of spirits floating past, And I will take thee by the hands And know thee mine at last. He and She and Angels Three Ruthless hands have torn her From one that loved her well; Angels have upborn her, Christ her grief to tell. She shall stand to listen, She shall stand and sing, Till three winged angels Her lover’s soul shall bring. He and she and the angels three Before God’s face shall stand; There they shall pray among themselves And sing at His right hand.
I don't have time to read those poems now but will later on tonight. They look interesting. I will have to see if I have her work or her poetry in any of my books. She did very nice work. Thanks for posting that and those poems, DM. I love the Isabella one, also. It is one of my favorites from this period and movement. Is that her reflection in the circle by her foot? Is that a mirror laying there; at first I just thought that was part of the tiles...now I am wondering.
It does look like it could be a mirror
I was looking at it closer and it looks as though it has a lot of little things that must be symbolic. I just thought it looked intentional the way her foot points right to the circle or mirror or whatever it is. I like the skull on the bowl; and the pitcher on the floor has what looks like a watering can spout. I wonder what that small detail is by the mysterious mirror. I can't really make it out, can you? I had better depart for bed. I first printed out those poems to read. I am really tired out now. Night, DM.
By the colors, it almost looks as if the altar cloth, and the blanket/robe she is holding is being reflected within the mirror and right next to it, it looks like maybe a rose on the floor
Yes, you are right. I thought that dark cloth was being reflected. It does look now like it must be the altercloth as well. I wish we could view the picture larger. I will look for it online and maybe find on larger that you can't actually copy but will reveal what the details are. Now I am fascinated with it. It does indeed look like a rose bud or dried up rose and then there are other fuller roses around the base of the vessel saucer she is leaning on and one on the ledge. They all must signify something.
Opehlia is one of the must famously painted figures in Pre-Raphaelite art. So this is a tribute to Ophelia, a collection of different representations of her. (I tried to choose images that are not already displayed here either in other posts or in the gallery) John Everett Millais John William Waterhouse (This is one of my favorites) Anna Lea Merrit Arthur Hughes Redon, Odilon Alexandre Cabanel There are many more but I could not post them all
Oh and I found out the artist for the Ophelia pic I posted here that you asked me about is Jules-Joseph Lefebvre