Portrait of Elizabeth Siddal 1865

Dante Gabriel Rossetti rendered this watercolor portrait of Elizabeth Siddal with delicate precision. Her profile is outlined by flowing curves of russet hair against a solid gold background, reminiscent of early Renaissance painting. The visual harmony in this piece arises from a semiotic interplay of form and color. Rossetti uses the vocabulary of Pre-Raphaelite painting to explore themes of beauty and melancholy. The smooth planes of color, from Siddal's pale skin to her mossy green dress, create a study in contrasts. The composition directs our eye along the sinuous contours of her neck and jawline. Through structural analysis, we can see that the artist's formal choices and handling of the medium serve to elevate the sitter to an almost iconic status, thus blending sensuality with a pensive introspection, which becomes the artwork's signifier.