Dr Glenda Youde discovered her passion for art while studying with the Open University. She is now an art historian, author and researcher affiliated to the University of York, where she received her doctorate in 2022. Her current research focuses on the neglected females within the Pre-Raphaelite circle, particularly the work of Elizabeth Eleanor Rossetti. Born and raised in the Sussex Weald, Glenda now lives in Derbyshire.
Expertly researched and beautifully presented, this easily readable account dispels the tragic portrayal of one of the most mythicised women in art history. Youde draws together much of the work that has been done by feminist art historians over the past four decades and presents it in an engaging account, ensuring Siddal's life and work as a poet and an artist is celebrated. Youde expands from biography to offer insightful interpretation of Siddal's themes, subjects and unique style as an artist. This book marks the next chapter in Pre-Raphaelite studies, where women are respected as active agents of creativity, not simpering 'stunners' adored by the Brotherhood. Sarah Hardy Director, De Morgan Museum Glenda Youde lifts Miss Siddal from the bathtub and hat shop and reveals an artist of potential, a poet of depth and a woman who reached beyond the part she was assigned. There has never been a better time or more perfect book to look beyond Ophelia to a Pre-Raphaelite masterpiece who defined the shimmering era. Kirsty Stonell-Walker, Historian and author, Stunner: The Fall and Rise of Fanny Cornforth Truth is stranger than fiction. A female artist’s imagination so powerful it influenced the members of the newly founded Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. At last the real story. Patricia O’Connor, Life Chair of the Pre-Raphaelite Society A thorough and engaging study of Elizabeth Siddal's life and significance as an artist. This book demonstrates why Siddal is so important to Pre-Raphaelitism. Dr Serena Trowbridge