study for the head of ophelia by john everett millais (1852), alongside the completed version. the m

study for the head of ophelia by john everett millais (1852), alongside the completed version. the model is elizabeth siddal, aged twenty. during her sitting for ophelia, the oil lamps which heated the bathtub in which siddal was floating for the piece went out; the water went cold- millais’ studio was in a basement, and it was the winter of 1851/1852- but siddal did not disturb the artist. she eventually contracted pneumonia, but recovered and became an artist in her own right. it is unsubstantiated whether the health issues that shaped much of her life were directly related to the ophelia incident.