Lizze Siddal and the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood

Abstract

A mid-nineteenth century artist group known as the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB) are known for their objectification of women in their paintings; portraying them as meek, ill, near-death, and erotic. The women who posed for these artists were often artists or craft-makers themselves. By repainting and revising their male counterparts’ works and creating their own, these women took control of their own stories, and of how women could be portrayed in art. They painted the woman’s story: women who were leaders; women who were strong, lively, and active—no longer sexualized waifs. These PRB women reclaimed their space in the art world, and in society.