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| Ellen
Smith Biographical A laundress who became a professional model, Smith worked for a number of Pre-Raphaelite artists, and she was possibly the same person as 'Long Mary', who modelled for George Frederick Watts in the 1860s. She met Dante Gabriel Rossetti in 1862, possibly in Chelsea, and he hired her frequently. Ellen's appearance marked a distinct contrast to the typical women Rossetti depicted, although her round face and full lips bore some resemblance to another of his models, Fanny Cornforth, whose allure was waning for Rossetti by 1863. Ellen possessed a softer, more playful quality, evoking a charm that was alluring without being overtly sexual. In each portrait Rossetti created to highlight her beauty, she is portrayed as captivating and alluring, yet never threatening or imposing. Between 1869 and 1870, she was disfigured in a knife attack by a soldier, which ended her career. Little is known of her after this, but she faced financial hardship. The artist George Price Boyce, who had become fond of her, lent her £5 to set up a laundry business, but she returned it after she had no success. It was said that she left for Australia. She married Elson in 1873. |
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