Lizzie Siddall - Rated 
Lizzie Siddall-the tragedy of a Pre-Raphaelite supermodel is a compelling study of the life of this girl, who was discovered by chance, and became a model for several of the artists in the PRB. She was ultimately so disillusioned with marriage to Rossetti that she committed suicide at the age of 32.
Lizzie Siddal - Rated 
Really enjoyable read - more of a novel than a straightforward biography. Excellent to understand more following on from the BBC series on the pre-Raphelite Brotherhood.
Pretty good read - Rated 
I found this book fairly rivetting and a good insight to the art world of the Victorians.
I would have liked better illustrations. For example, the author described several paintings in great detail but it was hard to appreciate her descriptions without an illustration of the painting. There were other illustrations in the book which were quite incidental to the narrative and could have been replaced with more relevant ones. (Having said all that, perhaps there was a copywrite thing that prevented some paintings being put in the book)
Siddle style - Rated 
Well presented and worthwhile reading for those interested in the current "Romantics". Prompt and secure delivery from the supplier made this a worthwhile expenditure.
Lizzie's life - exciting but sad and she was desperate for respectability ... - Rated 
Art historian Hawksley, (who is a direct descendant of Charles Dickens), tells of the romance between Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Lizzie Siddal. It was actually an American artist, Walter Deverell, that discovered the 'stunner' when he accompanied his mother to the hatshop where Lizzie worked. With his mother's help, he secured her services as a model for his own pictures before Holman Hunt and Millais were to immortalise her in theirs.
On meeting her later, Dante was immediately obsessed by Lizzie and she with him. It was a claustrophobic relationship - he was commitment-phobic and both were insanely jealous and attention-seeking. Lizzie was depressive, anorexic and was frequently ill - particularly when Rossetti wasn't paying attention to her - she always got better when he ran to her bedside; despite that she did become a laudanum addict early on. They did finally marry, but laudanum was to be her final downfall when she suffered post-natal depression after the stillbirth of their child. She comes across as manipulative and demanding, but remember she was desperate to be married to the love of her life - as ruin for her and her family would be the result if their unmarried relationship became fully public. Rossetti, while undoubtedly talented, was totally self-interested and rarely worked at his best when Lizzie was around. When she died, he did bury the only copy of a book of poems he'd written for her with the casket, and amazingly it was later dug up! - It really happened, although he did get an official exhumation order for it - selfish as ever.
The other really interesting character in their life was the art critic John Ruskin - a rich and hugely influential person in the Victorian art world. It is doubtful whether Rossetti would have got anywhere without his patronage, and without him having supported John Everett Millais first. Ruskin recognised that the PRB were trying to do something different in their back to nature ideals. Ruskin also took Lizzie under his patronage too as she showed talent at art, and it helped Lizzie to maintain her aura of respectability.
Hawksley's biography concentrates on the events of Lizzie's life rather than commentating on the art, and made for an entertaining read with a good selection of illustrations. The highlights include some of Dante and Lizzie's poetry which is touching and sad.
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