1863. Retouched 1873. Dante Gabriel Rossetti (age 34). Die Geliebte aka The Beloved aka The Bride. Models: Alice aka Alexa Wilding (age 16), Ellen Smith, Marie Ford Model, Fanny Entwhistle aka Eaton (age 27) and Keomi aka Keytumas Gray (age 21).

Two Biblical texts are inscribed on the frame below the painting.

My beloved is mine and I am his. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: For thy love is better than wine. [The Song of Songs by King Solomon]

She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins that be her fellows shall bear her company, and shall be brought unto thee.

The Diary of George Price Boyce 1854. 05 Feb 1865. Called on Poynter (age 28) to see his competition drawings for the Old Water Colour Society. One of them, that with Ellen Smith with fan in her hand, very good. Called on Jopling.

Note.

The Diary of George Price Boyce 1854. 05 May 1865. Rossetti (age 36) sent for the study he gave me, a pencil head of Ellen Smith, said it was by inadvertence he had parted with it, as he particularly wished to dispose of it with other studies of the same picture (Bride in Song of Solomon) to the purchasers of the picture. He promised me good measure" in exchange. Dined at Mills' Coffee House. The beautiful Rafiaelesque girl has left—the waiter thinks for Australia. Alas!

The Diary of George Price Boyce 1854. 22 May 1865. Rossetti (age 37) sent down by Pope 13 pencil studies of heads, of which 2 (one of Ellen Smith and another ¾ of a new model) are gifts.

The other 11, viz, 3 of Fanny Cornforth (age 30), 2 of Ellen Smith, 1 of Ada, 1 of Mrs. Morris of Upton, £10, 1 of the negro boy, 1 of a negro girl, 1 of Mrs. Eaton, and 1 of Marie Ford I pay £60 for.

The Diary of George Price Boyce 1854. 06 Aug 1865. Called on Gabriel Rossetti. He and Fanny only there. He was at work upon a drawing of a girl washing her hands, and of her lover; the former painted from Ellen Smith, the latter from Howell.

The Diary of George Price Boyce 1854. 16 Nov 1865. Ellen Smith came to sit. Worked on old water colour head I made of her some time ago.

1867. Dante Gabriel Rossetti (age 38). "Jolie Coeur". Model Ellen Smith.