M. Goldberg

“Woman Adrift:  A Tale of Ophelia and Siddal”

Expressive Form: Sculpture

Artist’s Statement

My sculpture draws inspiration from the largely unknown but intertwining relationship between Hamlet’s Ophelia, captured in the renowned painting ‘Ophelia’ by John Everett Millais and Elizabeth Siddal. Siddal, an artist and poet in her own right, served as a model for Millais, allowing him to capture the movement of her hair and body in the increasingly freezing water.

Although falling ill, she surrendered to the water and the task of becoming Ophelia, taking on her traits of innocence and fragility as well as her youth and beauty. Historians find parallels between the drowning of Ophelia and Siddal’s submission to the chilling bath. As the public’s fascination with Millais’ painting grew, so did the eternal entwining of Ophelia and Siddal.

Inspiration Artists:  John Everett Millais, George Segal and Sue Law

Process Diary