The artwork “Elizabeth Siddal” was created by Dante Gabriel Rossetti in 1854. This portrait is associated with the Romanticism art movement and it currently resides in the Fitzwilliam Museum at the University of Cambridge in the UK.
The portrait depicts a woman sitting in a wooden armchair, facing slightly to the side. She appears contemplative or perhaps melancholic, with her gaze directed downward. Her long hair is parted in the center and flows down her back and shoulders. She wears a long robe or dress that covers her body completely, and the fabric of her garment drapes naturally over her legs and the armrest, suggesting a sense of relaxed posture. The subtlety of the shading technique gives the image depth and softness. The date “June 2 1854” is inscribed at the bottom left corner of the image, along with what seems to be the initials of the artist, cementing the historical context of the artwork’s creation. The personal and intimate nature of this drawing, combined with the tasteful simplicity of its execution, is characteristic of Rossetti’s close relationship with the subject.
