In my previous post about The Beloved, I mentioned the woman in the right area of the painting:
The Beloved, Dante Gabriel Rossetti
For the woman on the right, Rossetti used a model named Keomi Gray. I’ve desperately searched for more information about her, but it’s quite difficult. There doesn’t seem to be much written about her and if anyone has a book or a source to recommend, I would be grateful. When I do find mentions of her, it is usually a short sentence sharing the fact that she was the lover of artist Frederick Sandys. Why is it that I can’t seem to find a full length biography written about Sandys? It would probably be the only way for me to find out more about the mysterious Keomi.
Most mentions of Keomi describe her as a gypsy and this is where I feel the need to confess my ignorance regarding the usage of the word gypsy. I’ve never been quite clear as to whether or not it is an ethnic slur. Since I am unsure, I won’t describe her as such because I don’t want to be insensitive to the culture. I do know that Keomi was of Romani descent and living in a Roma encampment when the artist Frederick Sandys met her. Sandys was married to Georgiana Creed; they were separated but never divorced. So his relationship with Keomi was illicit but it seems to have been quite open. Not only did his friends know of it, but author George Meredith put a character based on Keomi into The Adventures of Harry Richmond.
In Jan Marsh’s biography of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, she shares an anecdote that Keomi once stoned a raven to death simply for amusement. I wonder if this is true or if Keomi embellished the tale for shock value. It also seems that Keomi and Sandys were comfortable with and socialized with Rossetti and Fanny Cornforth. This was before tensions rose between Rossetti and Sandys. Later, there would be a rift between them when Rossetti started to believe that Sandys was creating works that were far too similar to his.
Sandys painted her several times, usually as a femme fatale:
Morgan Le Fay, Frederick Sandys
Medea, Frederick Sandys
Vivien, Frederick Sandys
The Vivien painting especially reminds me of Rossetti’s work, so perhaps it was not just paranoia on DGR’s part.
I long to know more of Keomi; she intrigues me. I wonder what her life was like in the encampment and how it did or did not change after becoming model/muse/lover to an artist.
I’m also curious to know how their relationship ended. Or, at least, I assume it ended. Because later Sandys, although still legally married, began an affair with an actress named Mary Emma Jones (also known as Miss Clive). Sandys and Miss Clive went on to have ten children, possibly more.
Miss Clive:
Miss Clive in ‘Love’s Shadow’, also known as ‘Proud Maisie’ by Frederick Sandys.
I know that Sandys remained with Miss Clive for the rest of his life and that they lived as common-law spouses. But what of Keomi? Did their relationship end and each moved on? Did she return to her life in the encampment? I guess I would like to end this post as “to be continued” because I hope to eventually learn what became of her.
Editing to add: Thank you to my friend Cathy Baker, who shared this link with me: Keomi Gray Bonnett at Find A Grave.
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She had children by Sandys as well! Looks like she went back to her previous life by marrying a horse dealer.
How interesting! I would love to know more about her as well.
Love this post. Keomi was my three times great grandmother and its so nice to read more about her. I do know that after her split from Sandys she married and had 3 more children (7 altogether with the 4 she had with Sandys), This link gave me a lot of information http://www.geocities.ws/seraphim_angel_2002/Keomi_Gray_and_Frederick_Sandys.html
Samantha, thank you so much! And lovely to meet you. I’m so grateful that you could share information with me about Keomi. I hope she had a happy life
–Stephanie
Hi Samantha…. just read your comment that Keomi Gray is your 3 times great grandmother. Which line are you on the family tree. She is also my ancestor but I do not want to say at the moment. I have pictures of her children and one of the boys she had is a spit of his dad (Frederick Sandy’s). You might be a long lost relative that we do not know of and I would love to get in contact with you and add you to the family tree if possible.. As you know Keomi had several children, which one is your great great Grandmother as this will help me identify you on the tree. I have photos of her children as adults. I’m the Grays bloodline. Hope to speak soon. Warmest wishes Queenie-Anne )o(
Hi Queenie-Anne
I’m descended from her youngest son with Frederick, Henry Herbert Gray
Hello Samantha,
Keomi was my Great Great Grandmother’s sister, Who was called Jenty/Jane Gray.
That makes us cousins.
Keomi’s parents were Ossrie/Ossary and Eliza Gray ( Nee Hearn/Heron ).
Eliza’s parents were Edward ( No Name) Hearn/Heron and Rosa Lovell.
If you didn’t already know this , Let me know and I will give you more information.
Warm Regards Lila.
I’ve only just learned that they had children together. I have a bit more info about Keomi now, which I’ve just posted http://preraphaelitesisterhood.com/more-on-keomi-gray/
Wonder if she looked after all 7 and if Sandys supported her…the most obvious of many questions
Did you see the photo of her in the wagon Stephanie?
http://www.geocities.ws/seraphim_angel_2002/Gypsyphotos.html
Oh I stared at the wagon photo for an obscenely long time. Love it, love it, love it.
A book called “Frederick Sandys/A catalogue Raisonne 1829-1904″ by Betty Elzea, shows a very good chalk drawing of Keomi. In 1876 Sandys was declared bankrupt with debts that included “two years’ arrears for child-maintenance.” This may, possibly, have reffered to some kind of support for Keomi’s children. The author also describes Keomi’s earthy sense of humour, and her “dark, unconventional beauty”. Keomi’s sister (Leborina) married a Barron, and Keomi married Charles Bonnett. “The Family Tree of Thomas and Elizabeth Gray” by Eric Trudgill which can be bought from The Romany and Traveller FHS shows Leborina’s sons marrying two Bonnetts and another son marrying Keomi’s granddaughter. The family was also involved with another artist called ‘Sir Alfred Munning’s’. In “Yesterdays World Museum” at Great Yarmouth there are many photo’s of the Barron family and Keomi may well be amongst them somewhere. When Keomi left Sandys she appears to have returned, with her 4 children, to her parents (according to Census’s) and worked as a “Licenced Hawker”. Some of her children appear to have been as unconventional as she had been. Ethel or Ethela, worked with ‘Buffalo Bills Wild West Show’ and also worked as a palmist. I hope this is of some interest.