dunsbyowl1867 Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 Daughter of a Cutler from Sheffield! Elizabeth Siddal (July 25, 1829 - February 11, 1862) Lizzie was discovered by the artist Walter Deverell, who painted her as Viola in his depiction of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Lizzie went on to model for other Pre-Raphaelite artists and is most commonly recognized as Ophelia in the painting by John Everett Millais. But it was the charismatic Dante Gabriel Rossetti who not only drew and painted her obsessively, but encouraged Lizzie in her own artwork and poetry. Their relationship was intense and rocky, with an engagement that lasted a decade. Sadly, their marriage was short. The couple suffered a stillborn child and Lizzie was seriously addicted to Laudanum. She died in 1862 due to an overdose. The rest of Lizzie’s tale is eerily famous for its gothic Victorian morbidity: Rossetti, in his grief, buried his only manuscript of his poems with Lizzie. The poems, nestled in her coffin amidst her famous red hair, haunted him. Seven years later, he had her coffin exhumed in order to retrieve the poems for publication. The story was spread that Lizzie was still in beautiful, pristine condition and that her flaming hair had continued to grow after death, filling the coffin. This, of course, is a biological impossibility. Cellular growth does not occur after death, but the tale has added to Lizzie’s legend and continues to capture the interest of Pre-Raphaelite and Lizzie Siddal enthusiasts. http://lizziesiddal.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest barbrook Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 I hadn't known before the tv programme about the Pre-Raphaelites, that Lizzie Siddall's father had been a Sheffield cutler who moved to London. Has there been any mention of this on the forum, or any research done into the Sheffield connection? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveHB Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 I hadn't known before the tv programme about the Pre-Raphaelites, that Lizzie Siddall's father had been a Sheffield cutler who moved to London. Has there been any mention of this on the forum, or any research done into the Sheffield connection? Hi barbrook, they don't miss much in here .. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest barbrook Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Thanks SteveHB for your prompt reply. I'm interested in following up the Sheffield connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveHB Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Thanks SteveHB for your prompt reply. I'm interested in following up the Sheffield connection. Good luck barbrook, lets Hope some of our members can contribute. 'Vivienne Smith reveals the tragic story of the young woman, whose family hailed from North Derbyshire' bygonederbyshire.co.uk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardB Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 http://www.yorktaylors.free-online.co.uk/rossetti.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest barbrook Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Thanks for the replies. Daughter of Charles Crooke Siddall and Eleanor Evans Siddall . The spelling of Siddal was adopted by Rossetti. Charles Siddall claimed to be the dispossessed owner of Hope Hall at Hope, now the Old Hall Hotel. Charles was a Sheffield cutler before moving to Hatton Gardens, London, presumably moving his business also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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