Portrait of Ruth Herbert

Datec. 1858-59

Artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti (British Pre-Raphaelite painter, 1828–1882)

MediumGraphite, watercolor, and gold paint on paper

Dimensions9 3/4 x 6 3/4 in. (24.8 x 17.1 cm)
frame: 22 1/4 × 18 3/8 in. (56.5 × 46.7 cm)

Credit LineSamuel and Mary R. Bancroft Memorial, 1935

Object number1935-59

On View

Not on view

ClassificationsDRAWING

Label TextIn February of 1859, Rossetti “discovered” the actress Ruth Herbert when he saw her in a performance at the Strand Theatre in London. It was, however, two years before he was able to convince her to model for him. His enthusiasm for her beauty is made clear in a letter to his friend, William Bell Scott, to whom he wrote, “[she] has the most varied and highest expression I ever saw in a woman’s face, besides abundant beauty, golden hair, etc. Did you ever see her? O my eye!”