2 thoughts on “Elizabeth Siddal: Self Portrait in Oil”
I have always known her face as a fan of Pre-Raphaelite art. Yet only recently learned her story and of her poetry and art. A working class woman who wanted to be an artist. Both a muse and an artist/poet Elizabeth’s life both inspires the soul and breaks the heart.
According to Lucinda Hawksley’s biography Lizzie’s working class origins have been exaggerated. Although her father is described as a cutler he in fact owned the company. Unfortunately he spent most of his money on a failed attempt to regain a large country house that he had claim to through inheritance. It seems likely that his family were the source of the name Eyre in Jane Eyre.
I have always known her face as a fan of Pre-Raphaelite art. Yet only recently learned her story and of her poetry and art. A working class woman who wanted to be an artist. Both a muse and an artist/poet Elizabeth’s life both inspires the soul and breaks the heart.
According to Lucinda Hawksley’s biography Lizzie’s working class origins have been exaggerated. Although her father is described as a cutler he in fact owned the company. Unfortunately he spent most of his money on a failed attempt to regain a large country house that he had claim to through inheritance. It seems likely that his family were the source of the name Eyre in Jane Eyre.