I am Wonder Woman

My husband is in the hospital again.  Still dealing with the repercussions from his accident last May.  It’s more serious this time.  An infection has spread to the bone.  Let me use the technical term, just so I can feel the weight of it:  Osteomyelitis. It’s serious and scary, but we are remaining hopeful and … Read more

Rossetti and Ruskin

  In two previous posts, I talked about the marriages of Dante Gabriel Rossetti and John Ruskin. Here’s a photograph of both men, courtesy of George P. Landow and the Victorian web.  Ruskin looks absolutely frightening with that stick! June 29, 1863 Albumen Print Downey made made this double portrait during the same session at Rossetti’s … Read more

Transposed onto the Blank Canvas

Today is a thrilling day as I have just received a beautiful and gracious gift from artist Margje Bijl.  You may remember Margje from my post about her project, Reflections on Jane Morris.  If you missed that post, please go read it.  Her work is fascinating and revolves around not only her uncanny physical similarity to … Read more

Special event at Highgate Cemetery for the 150th anniversary of Lizzie Siddal’s death.

February 11th is the 150th anniversary of Lizzie’s death. To commemorate this, Highgate Cemetery (Lizzie’s final resting place) is having a Talk at the cemetery on that day by Lucinda Hawksley, author of Lizzie Siddal: Face of the Pre-Raphaelites.  Being in the U.S., I will not be able to attend but my ever-faithful friend Kirsty … Read more

Pre-Raphaelite Marriage: Ruskin, Effie and Millais

John Ruskin was an an author, art critic, and social reformer who was an early champion of Pre-Raphaelite ideals.  Interestingly, he was also the patron who supported the work of Elizabeth Siddal. His marriage to  Euphemia Chalmers Gray, known as Effie, is universally described as a disaster.  The story goes that Ruskin rejected Effie on their … Read more

Pre-Raphaelite Marriages: Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Elizabeth Siddal

I’ve spent years reading about the relationship between Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Elizabeth Siddal.  One thing I’ve noticed through comments and emails I receive at lizziesiddal.com is that there are a lot of people who are so sympathetic towards Lizzie that they passionately hate Rossetti.  When you learn about people, I think a story forms … Read more

Watch out for Stunner

Before Christmas, Kirsty Stonell Walker sent me her revised manuscript of Stunner to read.  People, it is awesome.  I’m not sure when the projected release date will be, but as soon as it is out I urge all Pre-Raphaelite enthusiasts to snap up a copy. Stunner is the first full-length biography of Pre-Raphaelite artist’s model … Read more